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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25366471">Spacers</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bardbrat/pseuds/bardbrat'>bardbrat</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Original Work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Anal Sex, BDSM, Bruises, Dom/sub, Established Relationship, Hair-pulling, Light BDSM, M/M, Oral Sex, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Restraints, Science Fiction, Spanking, Swearing, seriously a lot of spanking</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 09:15:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>24,704</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25366471</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bardbrat/pseuds/bardbrat</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Zayne and Rowan are members of the Spacers: an intergalactic organization of job hunters, risk-takers, and thrill-seekers who tend to make their fortunes doing the work that others just won't. Unfortunately for these two, they're easily distracted and outrageously horny, resulting in a lot of missed opportunities.</p><p>Semi-permanent hiatus unless I can come up with something else to do with it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This work is the result of me having a character type I enjoy far too much (dumb kinky idiots) and a never-ending desire to see more spanking in science fiction. I haven't yet decided if I want this to get more serious, or just be a space semi-comedy with lots of kink (you'll see I'm serious when I mean a LOT of spanking) and sex. To be determined. I'm open to comments so let me know if you enjoyed!</p>
    </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/bardbrat/s-p-a-c-e-r-s/">Aesthetic boards for the characters and setting can be found here!</a>
</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>"Answer the comm, bastard!"</em>
</p><p>Rowan's rudely shouted demand was cut off abruptly when another hard slap landed directly across the center of his ass. He kicked and squirmed over Zayne's knees, but wasn't getting <em>anywhere</em> soon.</p><p>"Your fault if we lose a job," the larger man grunted, smacking Rowan again, though he had slowed the pace. "If you weren't such a fucking brat, you wouldn't be getting punished right now, and I could answer the comm." He paused to wipe a strand of blue-dyed hair from his forehead, damp with sweat. They could <em>use</em> a job too; then they could afford to get their cooling unit fixed, so it wasn't near hot as hell on the Gamma Ray most of the time.</p><p>Their ship wasn't much, but it was their home away from home, such as it was. The Gamma Ray was an old Neon Cruiser model, painted dark grey instead of the standard white, with twin pilot seats and sub-warp capability. All the rooms were quite spacious enough for two humans, only seeming less so because they could be fairly disorderly, depending on how long it had been since they visited a station or planet. Zayne had bought the Ray at age 25, using all his savings. For the three years since then, it had held up pretty well, if only because Rowan had hooked up with him shortly after that and tended to clean when the ship was in dock.</p><p>The comm rang again, almost seeming more insistent. Zayne finished up with a flurry of hard swats to the undercurve of the red backside currently over his lap, listening with satisfaction to the blonde's whimpered cries. It'd have to do.</p><p>He swung the deck chair around, not bothering to move Rowan, and punched the blinking button on the comm display. Line three lit up immediately, and the screen in front of him flickered and wavered until it settled on a green-skinned form with a long neck and decidedly inhuman features. Frankly, they reminded Zayne of the ancient lizard-beings from Earth, or what he had seen of them in his old picture books as a child.</p><p>"It's about time," the figure hissed, in what was actually excellent Standard. They were probably using a universal translator, but still, sometimes even <em>those</em> failed when it came to more 'exotic' species. "I thought Spacers were always ready for an offer, no matter when."</p><p>"That would be the catchy slogan," Zayne agreed, at first looking disinterested, then abruptly grinning. No matter if they needed the money, he had an unfortunate habit of being lazy. On the other hand, the being on the screen could only see his head and the top of his heavily muscled, tattooed shoulders. <em>Not</em> his naked partner at all. That made things more fun.</p><p>One large hand snaked down to grip the hot skin of Rowan's ass, then began to smooth over it in gentle circular patterns. Zayne's other hand moved to Rowan's short, fluffy hair, tangling his fingers into it and tugging back firmly in a silent comment to keep his mouth shut. "Name's Zayne Esperon. Spacer. How can we help you today?" he addressed the figure on the screen.</p><p>"We?" the being asked, with what looked like an incredulous tilt to their head. "Where is your partner? I contacted you with the knowledge that there were two of you."</p><p>"Oh, he's here," Zayne chuckled, lightly pinching at the reddened flesh under his fingers. "He can hear you, but he's indisposed at the moment. He would introduce himself as Rowan Catlow if he could only speak. But please, continue." He could feel Rowan twitch, clearly annoyed but unwilling to give away his position or what had been occurring. Good.</p><p>If the figure on the screen seemed confused before, they also appeared to drop the matter remarkably fast. "Very well. I need a job done, but I don't want to risk myself, so I knew I could contact Spacers. I have used the services of your kind before, with good results. However, the details of my request are private, and I have no wish to relay them on a channel without complete security. The two of you will meet me aboard my ship in half of your hours. It will be maneuvered into a docking position shortly. If you choose to leave before that time, you will miss out on a good sum as your reward."</p><p>Zayne had been idly tracing Rowan the entire time the being spoke, beginning to tease him, but still mostly listening. He slid long fingers down the cleft of the younger man's buttocks, working them in toward his puckered hole, but pulled away abruptly to a huff of frustration from Rowan, who had begun to enjoy himself a little too much. He was a damn brat, and definitely deserved to be punished, but it didn't take away from the fact that they also both <em>enjoyed</em> it. Too bad there wouldn't be time for a quick fuck after this conversation.</p><p>"Sure thing. We'll be there," he replied cheerily, despite the look of doubt from the dinosaur-being before the screen flickered back into darkness again.</p><p>"What the <em>fuck</em>, Zee?" Rowan half-whined, half-moaned when he realized they were alone. The cute pet name wasn't going to work, however. Zayne let his palm land again, hard, on Rowan's right cheek and was most satisfied at the yelp it caused.</p><p>"I wasn't done with you, so I wasn't going to let you up," he explained matter-of-factly, though now he did grip Rowan's arms and lift him, positioning him easily to stand between the older man's muscled legs instead. "Think of it as a bit of additional punishment. Bent over my knee like a naughty boy, getting your bare butt spanked like you deserve, when you should have been sitting up and paying attention to a job offer."</p><p>Zayne's speech, delivered in a voice far quieter and more controlled than he usually ever used, was perfectly calculated to go straight between Rowan's legs. Which it obviously did. "Little pervert that you are," he murmured, tapping the blonde's erection lightly, bringing a sharp moan.</p><p>"But we only have half an hour..." Rowan began in a pleading tone, his gaze focused on the bulge clearly outlined through the thin material of Zayne's undershorts.</p><p>"Much as I want to warm my cock in that tight hole of yours, we have work to do," Zayne admitted, standing and moving Rowan forward, though he did permit a kiss, rough but somehow loving. They were a couple of kinky motherfuckers, as he so frequently liked to say, but it didn't mean there were no deeper feelings between them.</p><p>"But Zee-"</p><p>"Shh, kitty-cat," Zayne whispered, gripping Rowan's chin between his thumb and forefinger, staring into his blue eyes firmly. The endearment either annoyed Rowan or turned him on even more, depending on the situation. "Not another word about this. We'll have a victory fuck when we're done, yeah?" he asked with a savage grin. "And if you act up during this job and our pay gets cut, I'll use the paddle and blister that little ass of yours 'til you can't sit down for the rest of the week. Clear?"</p><p>The last statement had been serious. Understanding this, Rowan nodded, and Zayne waited until he could see the sincerity in his eyes before releasing him with a gentler kiss. The money was necessary this time; they couldn't afford to fuck it up.</p><p>"Get dressed. We need to be ready."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Zayne and Rowan's job doesn't turn out to be what they expected. Smut occurs.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This work is the result of me having a character type I enjoy far too much (dumb kinky idiots) and a never-ending desire to see more spanking in science fiction. I haven't yet decided if I want this to get more serious, or just be a space semi-comedy with lots of kink (you'll see I'm serious when I mean a LOT of spanking) and sex. To be determined. I'm open to comments so let me know if you enjoyed!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>If there was anything else that could be said about Zayne and Rowan, they were certainly <em>visually</em> contrasting in a way that drew the eye.</p><p>This was made plain when they were standing next to each other, as they were now, squashed together in front of the tiny mirror in their effort to get ready for the job offer. One of the downsides to the Gamma Ray was its small bathroom, which they hadn't been able to afford to renovate yet. They had a renovation fund, but it was always getting spent on everything other than renovation.</p><p>While brushing his teeth, Rowan was eyeing Zayne, who was fussing with his hair. Of the two of them, Zayne was definitely the one who looked like trouble. He kept his hair in a spiky blue mohawk and purple fade contrasting with his dark and undyed beard, had a muscular build and tanned skin with multiple tattoos, and a tendency to wear studded leather jackets whenever he deemed it appropriate. Which was always. While handsome, his face even looked a bit like the sort of face you'd find on the guy who would have no problem punching you for looking at him funny at a bar.</p><p>In contrast, Rowan appeared innocent. He had floppy blonde hair that tended to curl, a nearly angelic face and slender build (almost a whole foot shorter than his boyfriend), and dressed a lot tamer in trousers and hooded jackets. <em>He</em> was the one who might actually punch you for looking at him funny.</p><p>"You done with your dumb hair?" Rowan smirked, nudging Zayne's side. "We'll be late. Then it's <em>your</em> fault." Their relationship could be very teasing, but the two also had personalities that some would think clashed. While Zayne was laid back and lazy except for his passions, Rowan could be active and volatile, with a bad temper that could snap at any moment and a genuine love of being a brat toward his dom. On the other hand, they did keep each other engaged.</p><p>"Yeah," Zayne replied with a shrug, though he then reached down and grabbed Rowan's ass, his large hand almost covering it entirely. "Still sore enough? I should spank you before every job, might make you remember to behave during."</p><p>Rowan rolled his eyes, but couldn't hide the little wince as he was squeezed. "I'm fine. You'd <em>better</em> not."</p><p>"Okay, I'll spank you during," the older man replied cheerily, taking Rowan by the shoulders and turning him toward the door. "Seriously, just be good. Respect our client. I've warned you."</p><p>Now it was Rowan's turn to shrug, pretending it didn't matter. It did, this time, but he wouldn't let on about it. "Fine, let's get to the bay before we really do lose this."</p><p>-----</p><p>It wasn't the first time they'd needed to board another ship for a mission briefing. It was on the rare side, but as they lacked any kind of transporter technology, sometimes, it was just what needed to be done. Zayne and Rowan headed over through the docking bay tunnel once it had been set up, and found themselves on a ship that looked decidedly un-alien. In fact, it looked like any number of the older Earth ships that were more standard in the sector they were currently in. Zayne's blaster pistol was concealed at his hip, as it always was, in case they ran into trouble. A good thing too, as this seemed highly suspicious.</p><p>"Down the hall and to the right. Stop dawdling." The voice that suddenly came over the speakers was also not the one they had heard on the comm call. Zayne pushed Rowan slightly behind him as they made their way, one hand resting near his weapon. Just in case...</p><p>To their right was a door. Zayne nudged it open, scanning for an ambush of some sort, but only saw a plain, regular-looking human seated at a desk in a sparsely decorated room. A human wearing a Spacers personnel uniform, with a pile of papers on the desk in front of him.</p><p>"Zayne Esperon, Rowan Catlow? Please come in. You can take a seat. Welcome to your evaluation!"</p><p>They were both staring, though Rowan was the one who looked a lot more miffed at having been deceived. He tended not to like that. They both sat down on the two chairs in front of the desk, Zayne joking weakly, "You, uh, you're not a dinosaur."</p><p>"A what now?" the human replied, raising both eyebrows. He seemed businesslike, straight to the point, and given how this was sprung on them without warning, Zayne was definitely going to have to keep an eye on Rowan's attitude. "I'm sorry, but if you're referring to the hologram, it was merely meant to test your response. Which, I am afraid, we will need to talk about. My name is Jask, second in command at Spacers Personnel. Let's get started, shall we?"</p><p>Rowan was looking slightly murderous. Zayne cleared his throat and nodded at Jask. "Nice to meet you. Sure. So, surprise eval, huh...?"</p><p>"Oh, yes. We've found it's better this way, to see how you really perform. I must say, I've had to mark it on your charts that your response is somewhat lacking. Both of you should have been on screen, and you certainly should have responded with more enthusiasm. Speaking of the both of you, what is your relationship with each other?" Jask had leaned forward and was peering at Rowan, who unfortunately answered.</p><p>"We're fuck buddies," he said snidely, making Zayne shoot him a look.</p><p>"He's so funny. Uh, boyfriends. You can put that down instead..."</p><p>While Jask seemed alarmed at first, he quickly went on. "Of course. We don't have the two of you on record as partners, so that can be changed. Ah. Your records are rather... Sparse. Three years with the Spacers? You should have completed twice the jobs, really."</p><p>Zayne shifted uncomfortably, while Rowan at least seemed content to merely shoot daggers with his eyes. "Yeah, about that. We've had some ship problems in the past few years. And, uh, some family emergencies. It's just been an unfortunate time, and we'll really start getting to more jobs soon, so..." Truthfully, they'd missed a rather large amount of job calls that came in while they were engaged in loud yelling at each other, mostly while having wild kinky sex. That just didn't seem like a good response to put on an evaluation chart.</p><p>"So, are you going to fire us?" Rowan suddenly challenged, making Zayne cringe, as his mind had been elsewhere, and he wasn't focusing on his boyfriend like he should be.</p><p>"Oh, no, of course not!" Jask almost seemed offended by the suggestion, waving a hand slightly. "No. The Spacers won't terminate you unless you cease all job activity for five years, commit a crime, or critically fail a job through fault of your own. It's just that..." He paused, shuffling his papers. Why they needed fucking <em>paper copies</em> when everything else was digital made no sense to Zayne. "I can't evaluate based on how little there is. You'll have to complete a job within the next thirty days, and then I can evaluate it. I need <em>something</em> to put on your records, gentlemen."</p><p>Even Zayne had seemed worried over the whole firing suggestion, but he visibly brightened at the response. "That's fine! We'll have a job in thirty days, no problem. But, you know... We kind of thought this was a job? So we were expecting to get paid. It's kind of disappointing, honestly."</p><p>Jask lifted an eyebrow, then actually smiled. "Not to worry. You will be compensated for your time today, naturally. The credits will be in your accounts the next time you check them. Well then, I look forward to your reports in thirty days or less, and thank you for your honest responses. I must carry on, there are so many more evaluations to attend to today." Jask had risen from his chair and began to usher them out as well, and there was so little time to think that Zayne could only glance at Rowan for a moment, realizing just how quiet he had been during the whole situation.</p><p>-----</p><p>The return to the Gamma Ray was uneventful. They hadn't walked far from the docking bay tunnel before Zayne turned, grabbing Rowan by the shoulders again.</p><p>"Hey. They were assholes for springing that on us, even if it makes sense. I'm sorry. Now, about your-"</p><p>Rowan tried to shrug him off, glaring. "Yeah, obviously. You shouldn't have answered that comm. I told you it was way too long since we'd taken a job!"</p><p>With a soft huff of frustration, Zayne shook his head. "You were the one begging me to answer it. And listen, it'll all work out fine. We're a long way off from getting terminated. We'll just have to try harder." He watched Rowan deflate slightly, his shoulders sagging as he lost some of his annoyance. Then he stepped even closer and caught the younger male in a tight hug, resting his chin on top of Rowan's head. "Hey, kitty-cat," he murmured. "Wanna go home for a while?"</p><p>Rowan again tried to fight his way out of the hold, but so weakly that Zayne knew he wasn't trying that hard. "The fuck do you mean, go home? We have a job to do in less than thirty days."</p><p>"I know, I know. But it'll take a week at the longest, so we have three weeks besides! If we go home for a week, we can rest and take a job right after, to be on the safe side. Deal?"</p><p>Rowan groaned. "Damn it, Zee, you're so fucking lazy. Okay, whatever. I need to check the plants anyway."</p><p>Zayne noted how his boyfriend had relaxed into the hug, his face softening into more of a natural smile. "It's settled then. And hey, we did get some money. So how 'bout that victory fuck?" He scooped Rowan up into his arms, despite his protests, and carried him into the bedroom. Then he sighed, setting Rowan down and frowning at him.</p><p>"First, though. Those bratty little outbursts didn't help anything. Why were you so quiet?" Rowan recognized this as Zayne's 'stern lecture mode,' and promptly rolled his eyes.</p><p>"Cuz you told me to be good. I can't be good unless I just shut up, apparently. You saw what happened."</p><p>"Yeah. But you should have made an effort. It was a fucking <em>evaluation</em>, Rowan. You could have done better, and we both know that. Since we didn't get into trouble anyway, I won't be too hard on you, but..." He trailed off, reaching for the button of Rowan's trousers and undoing it, swiftly pulling both pants and underwear down to his ankles before turning the smaller man around and pushing him over the edge of the bed. Finally, he sat down next to Rowan with a sigh, placing his hand on his boyfriend's ass yet again. It was even still warm and rather pink.</p><p>"Gonna need you to count to five, babe," Zayne said quietly, earnest at this point. "You know you were naughty this time." Rowan made no reply, and the fact that he had accepted this punishment without a fight let Zayne know he actually found it deserved.</p><p>With that, he swung his hand down to connect with Rowan's ass sharply, five times. Each smack was still hard despite his prior punishment, and rang out loudly in the silence of the room. The only other sound was Rowan's muffled counting. At least he seemed subdued at this point, as if genuinely remorseful. Zayne really hoped he was.</p><p>"There now," Zayne soothed, rubbing at his stinging ass in a circular motion. "You'll do better. You just seemed so... Tense. Need to fuck all that tension out of you." He reached for the lubricant sitting near the bedside, hearing Rowan beginning to whimper. Zayne had no doubt his boyfriend would be hard already, just like he was. He uncapped the lube and squeezed it out over two fingers, coating them before parting Rowan's ass cheeks, slowly working both digits into his hole. They had sex almost daily, so Rowan wasn't as tight as he could be, but Zayne would never not warm him up a little first.</p><p>Rowan had begun writhing, his whimpers turned to moans. "That's my needy boy," Zayne whispered. "Good boy. So hot and tight for me. I'll fuck you good and hard, make you scream my name. You need my cock, that's why you've been acting up, huh?" He had begun sliding his fingers in and out, the sound slick and wet as he felt himself starting to throb with the anticipation.</p><p>Evidently, Zayne's dirty talk had worked Rowan up perfectly. His little whimpers sounded so obscene, along with his gasped words, "Fuck, yes, fuck me, Zee-"</p><p>"Mm." Zayne pulled his fingers out, wiping them before he quickly began to take his clothes off. "How can I say no to that? Think I'll leave you right there, too. I want to see that red butt while I fuck you."</p><p>Once naked, he removed the rest of Rowan's clothes, then stood and studied him for a moment. His boyfriend was whining for it, arching his back up and showing off his ass so prettily. Zayne reached to the side of the bed for a pair of metal handcuffs, snapping them around Rowan's wrists. "Kitty-cat's too squirmy. Stay still."</p><p>There was nothing quite so exciting to Zayne as seeing Rowan helplessly stretched out in front of him, his for the taking. The only thing more exciting now was rubbing some extra lube over his erection, then leaning in and beginning to work the tip into Rowan's wet hole. Bit by bit, until his entire shaft was buried inside tight warmth.</p><p>"Fuck, babe, you feel so good," he murmured, beginning to rock his hips. At first his thrusts were slow, shallow, in order to lean back and watch what was going on. Rowan's ass had returned to a blotchy red after his brief spanking, and while he had been bad, he just looked so <em>good</em> that way.</p><p>"Zee, stop staring and go <em>harder</em>," Rowan complained, trying to arch up to meet Zayne faster.</p><p>"Heh, fine," the older man chuckled, but was quickly losing himself to lust anyway. He leaned forward, his body covering Rowan's, beginning to thrust harder and faster, hips slapping loudly against the punished skin beneath him.</p><p>Eventually, he managed to whisper, "Row, I'm gonna come. You're driving me wild. Hold on for me, okay?" He turned his head to the side, biting a mark into Rowan's pale neck as he shuddered over his boyfriend's lithe body. "Fuck-" Orgasm hit him sudden and hard, and he rode it out with loud gasps, needing to wait a few moments longer before he could grab Rowan's hips and angle him to reach his cock.</p><p>"So good. Come for me, babe," he sighed, firmly stroking Rowan while his own cock was still inside. Rowan obeyed almost instantly, his whimpered cries making Zayne want to go all over again.</p><p>Neither of them was too aware of what happened after, only that they were cleaned up and snuggled close in bed, still naked but much more content. Zayne lazily stroked Rowan's backside as if trying to smooth the red out, moving his head closer to give him a kiss. "Better now?"</p><p>Rowan's response was to squirm closer and kiss Zayne back, utterly spent and too tired to think about sarcastic replies. "Much better. Felt so damn amazing... And now we're going home, right?"</p><p>"Yeah. I'll get up in a minute and set the course in. Should only take us a day at best speed. Then we have six whole days." He noted that Rowan actually seemed to be drifting off, and chuckled to himself, taking that extra time to hold him tighter without worrying about protests. Home would be good, even if they weren't staying long.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Zayne and Rowan arrive home; Rowan naturally manages to get himself into trouble at least once during the week.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Home" was Epsilon Alpha. It wasn't a planet but a man-made oval of metal that housed a myriad intricate systems controlling everything from the atmosphere to the weather. It <em>seemed</em> like a planet, with dirt and plants and a cycle of day to night, but there was a risk you could walk off the edge if you traveled too far across it. Technically anyway, since there were safeguards in place for that.</p><p>Five hundred thousand other beings also made Epsilon Alpha their home, with a wide variety of species represented from across the galaxy. This variety was mostly what kept it from feeling like a real planet, because otherwise there was trade and commerce, schools and businesses, religious orders and brothels, and everything in between.</p><p>Truthfully, there were fancier places to live in the sector than Epsilon Alpha. But it was what Zayne and Rowan could afford, and they were happy there.</p><p>Housing in their neighborhood was packed together like Planefish in a can. There was an upper level, amazingly, and those apartments were reached via narrow, winding sets of stairs that held a peculiar charm. Many of them were decorated by their residents, and Rowan had lined their own with potted plants of various shapes and sizes. Plants were Rowan's thing. Zayne felt sure they were calming for him, at least usually.</p><p>"What the fuck is this," Rowan was muttering, eyeing one of his plants as they were making their way up. Since his boyfriend was in front, Zayne was forced to stop and glance around to look. A plant with spiky-looking green leaves (which were actually quite soft) in an amber-colored pot had been tipped on its side, dirt spilling out in a little puddle around it. "Fucking kids probably, I'm just about-"</p><p>"Shh, c'mon," Zayne cut in, soothing. "It was probably just a cat. That's forgivable, right? They're so cute." He was always talking about wanting a cat, but of course they had never got around to it. Standard human pets were somewhat rare on Epsilon.</p><p>Reaching forward, he patted Rowan on the backside to urge him forward again. It wasn't without fussing that the younger man finally did so, setting the pot upright again and promising the plant he would be back to sweep up the dirt later. "Better not have been those kids," he muttered, continuing up the stairs again finally. "Why do I pay one of them to water for me?"</p><p>"Cuz, it's convenient," Zayne answered for him, reaching around to tap his key card on the door panel. "Most of the adults are too busy. Either that or you get rid of the outside ones..."</p><p>"Fuck no," Rowan grumbled, pushing his way inside once the door hissed open. "Bad enough I can only keep dry climate ones inside. I'm not giving those up." The lights had come on automatically, illuminating a short hallway that led into a kitchen and living room beyond, all somewhat roughly furnished but clean at the very least, since Rowan usually handled it. Zayne liked to joke that he would be living in squalor without his boyfriend, too lazy to attempt any chores, but at the same time, it was much more the truth than a joke.</p><p>Rowan was already casting a critical eye over the plants scattered all about, though he claimed each had a reason to be where it was. Zayne, meanwhile, had dropped their bags on the floor and stretched, looking around the kitchen. "We should grab a bite to eat, maybe some instant noodles. But first, I am gonna abduct you."</p><p>Without warning, he rushed forward and scooped up Rowan, who made a surprised noise somewhere between a squeak and a gasp, and carried him off to the bedroom. He less-than-gracefully dumped the blonde on the bed, then flopped in too and put his muscular arms around Rowan's slender waist before he could try to get back up.</p><p>"Zayne, my plants-"</p><p>"Shh, kitty-cat," Zayne whispered, kissing him. "We're home now. The plants will keep a little longer."</p><p>"We're here <em>for</em> the plants-"</p><p>"We're here to have tons of sex in our own bed at home," the older man murmured in contradiction. "Just you and me, fucking like animals for days. Tell me that's not appealing?" He nipped a mark into Rowan's pale neck, satisfied to hear the stifled gasp this brought.</p><p>"No, we're here to take care of shit before we're gone for like three weeks or more. The plants-"</p><p>Rowan was trying his best to be firm about it, but he was submissive by nature, and Zayne knew that well. He rolled them so that the smaller man was on top, then reached down and gripped his ass a moment with both large hands before beginning to massage it. "How about we stay in bed the entire first day?"</p><p>"<em>No</em>. If it were up to you, we'd just stay in bed the whole week, cuz you're a lazy piece of shit," Rowan complained rudely, though he was squirming in a way that told Zayne he was getting turned on.</p><p>"Don't be a brat," Zayne cooed in his ear. "Daddy <em>spanks</em> brats."</p><p>"Zee, I told you I won't call you-"</p><p>"Yeah, well, I'm still trying, right?" Zayne huffed, though he laughed immediately after. "C'mon. Just a day to rest and enjoy each other. I promise we can get everything done that you want when it's over."</p><p>Rowan was silent for quite a while, and Zayne took the opportunity to keep massaging his ass through his trousers, cupping then spreading it, adding a light swat here and there to entice him. "Okay?" he finally whispered, and even if Rowan still didn't respond, Zayne could feel his lips moving into a smile where they pressed against him.</p><p>-----</p><p>Their day was everything Zayne wanted, and Rowan was satisfied to have more or less the rest of the week to himself. It wasn't as though they didn't hang out together, but they each had their own hobbies and interests to work on separately. Rowan even kept himself out of trouble for all of three days before anything notable happened.</p><p>He was alone in the apartment at the time, his boyfriend having gone to the gym to work out. Zayne was only passionate and active when it came to three things, precisely: Weightlifting, hoverbikes, and Rowan, who sometimes teased that they went in that order.</p><p>As it was, Zayne had taken one of the hoverbikes over to the gym, leaving Rowan some spare time with his plants. He was happily repotting a few of them that had outgrown their containers, not a thought in his mind otherwise, when he realized he had forgotten to buy a special fertilizer that the Angora Fern <em>needed</em> to survive. He had sincerely thought there was more in the bag when he'd checked it.</p><p>It might have been able to wait a few hours for Zayne to return, but Rowan felt anxious. The only shop selling the fertilizer wouldn't deliver, and it was too far to walk, and he didn't feel like waiting for public transport, either. With only a little hesitation, he grabbed a key from the wall by the door and went outside, locking the door behind him and heading for the neighborhood garage.</p><p>The streets were too narrow for traditional vehicles, and people here usually either walked or had a hoverbike. Zayne actually had <em>two</em>. He was so obsessed that at one point he had five, but they'd needed to be sold for space and cost reasons. Rowan peered inside their personal section, relieved to see that the blue hoverbike still remained behind. It was easier to use, having an automatic gear shift.</p><p>Rowan climbed on without a second thought, inserting the key and hearing the bike hum beneath him. Hoverbikes were exactly what they sounded like, though they lacked wheels, and obviously could only hover a foot off the ground at their highest. He was cautious, but did know how to use the machine as he maneuvered through the door and out to the street. It just made sense to be careful when one didn't have a license, was forbidden from the hoverbikes, and was trying not to get caught.</p><p>-----</p><p>Zayne parked the purple hoverbike in its usual spot, next to the blue, wiping a trickle of sweat from his forehead yet again. He hadn't cared to shower at the gym, being in a hurry to get back to Rowan, possibly to drag him into their shower as well. It had been a pretty good workout, he'd even managed to lift a new personal best, something he was excited to share with his boyfriend.</p><p>Then he spotted it. The blue bike was about an inch off from where he had parked it last time. Some might not even notice such a small difference, but Zayne was obsessed enough with his hoverbikes that he <em>knew</em>. With a heavy frown, he climbed down, stared at it for a moment, then shook his head and walked on to the apartment.</p><p>He didn't announce his arrival, but went straight to the shower without Rowan, needing to think. The younger man did not have a license to ride a hoverbike, but that didn't mean he didn't know how to drive one. That was Zayne's fault, as he had taught Rowan back when they'd first started dating, hoping to impress him enough to get into his bed. That had worked too, or so he thought. But Rowan proved to be unreliable with bikes and could be reckless, declining to even try for a license, so Zayne had forbidden him from them entirely.</p><p>With a deep sigh, he finished off his shower and toweled his hair, teasing it into reasonable shape before getting dressed in a tight tank top and boxers. Instead of his daydreams of Rowan kneeling in front of him in the shower, sucking his cock while the water spilled over them, he had to think about a serious punishment for his boyfriend instead.</p><p>-----</p><p>"Good day?" Zayne leaned against the bedroom doorway, seeming unconcerned. Of course, he was anything but, and had an object tucked under one arm, but Rowan wouldn't see that.</p><p>Rowan did look up, but only briefly, and Zayne was sure he looked guilty. "Yeah. Just messing with the plants." He held up the dark flower he was currently tending to, showing the curled leaves. "This happened today. How was the gym?"</p><p>"Looks cool," Zayne replied genuinely, though he shook his head. "Not bad. Did some great lifting. Just curious though... You didn't go anywhere, did you?"</p><p>Keeping his head down, Rowan shrugged. "Plant store for fertilizer. No big deal."</p><p>"And how'd you get there?"</p><p>A long silence later, Rowan finally replied, "The bike, since you seem to already know." He kept his head down, as though appearing to still be fussing with the plant, but Zayne could see he was hyper-focused on what was being said now.</p><p>"Oh, I do. It wasn't in the same place. I can tell these things, you know. Now tell <em>me</em>, are you supposed to be using the fucking bikes?" Zayne shifted from the door frame, then walked further in, sitting down on the bed and placing the object out of sight behind him.</p><p>"No," Rowan replied simply, sullen.</p><p>"Good, so you do know that," Zayne said, his voice a little sharper. "And next, do you know what that means for you?"</p><p>"No."</p><p>"<em>Rowan</em>," Zayne said warningly, glaring at him. "Fine, I'll tell you. It means you're about to get a spanking. Take your clothes off."</p><p>Rowan's face crumpled as he whined slightly, a look of displeasure that usually accompanied the times he knew he had been awful, and the punishment would be more serious than usual. "Please, Zee, I didn't get in trouble... I don't want this." Regardless, he was standing, even if he was dragging his clothes off exceedingly slow. He would know how futile protesting was.</p><p>"I don't care how cautious you were," Zayne replied, stern. "You're not supposed to use the bikes. I've told you so many times, we're not talking about this anymore. Get your underwear off, stop taking your time."</p><p>Rowan remained standing where he was, still wearing his white briefs, so tight they should be utterly enticing to Zayne. They always were, but business before pleasure in this case. "No...?" he tried, in a last bit of defiance.</p><p>Zayne lunged up without a word, catching his boyfriend by the wrist and hauling him over his lap as he sat back down again. He made sure Rowan was comfortably positioned where he was, held firmly in place close to Zayne's body, and then hooked two fingers into the waistband of the underwear, pulling them up even tighter so that Rowan's buttocks were both visibly defined. "Good job, you just made this twice as long as it had to be," he said quietly, pausing. "Safeword?"</p><p>"Angel," Rowan groaned, trying to squirm to no avail.</p><p>"Alright." That was all Zayne said before laying a hard smack down on the white cotton covering Rowan's ass. "You'll be getting twice as long of a warmup with my hand first, then the paddle."</p><p>"No, please, Zee," Rowan whined, though it was halfhearted. He knew he deserved it, after what they'd talked about before. But he was certain he would be getting the same lecture all over again.</p><p>"You're not begging your way out of this. You've been a bad boy, Rowan." Zayne tipped his leg up slightly, arching the younger man's backside higher, before beginning in more earnest. He alternated swats between each cheek, not immune to how incredible it looked through the underwear, but dedicated to the punishment. After twenty, he stopped and rubbed his hand over the material, briefly soothing.</p><p>"That's enough, right? Let me go?" Rowan tried, starting to squirm more. Zayne shook his head, though Rowan couldn't see, briefly sliding his fingers up the middle of his ass before yanking the fabric down.</p><p>"No." Zayne positioned the underwear so it was perfectly aligned at the very bottom of Rowan's ass, pushing it up and accentuating how round and pert it was, already a nice shade of pink. He couldn't help the admiration he felt, as his lifting tended to work up a sexual appetite that he had naturally been unable to quench yet. He <em>had</em> to make sure Rowan learned a lesson, first.</p><p>"You think about what you've done and how you're never going to do it again." He began spanking harder now, each strike focused and precise as he made sure to cover the whole of Rowan's ass with a spreading redness. The slaps were naturally louder against bare skin, sharp and ringing into the relative silence around them. Thank the stars for the sound muffling technology each apartment came equipped with, he supposed; not only so that people wouldn't hear Rowan getting punished, but also because by now he was getting more vocal about it.</p><p>The count total this time would be thirty. About halfway, Rowan began to whine and beg more, the sound interspersing with the hard slaps against his naked flesh. Zayne remained focused, listening for the safeword and nothing more, and it never came. After fifty swats total, Rowan was definitely warmed up in a way that was more than sufficient. He was also writhing, and Zayne had to remain firm as he lifted the smaller man off his lap and to his feet again, knees shaky and his cock obviously hard. No matter if it was a real punishment or not, both of them were going to be aroused. That was just how it was.</p><p>"Now," Zayne finally said, reaching to pull down Rowan's underwear the rest of the way and helping him step out of them. "Over the chair, grab the seat." He'd gotten the desk chair, an old one that had seen better days, but had a back that was the perfect height for Rowan to bend over and present his ass nicely. Despite glancing behind him and seeing the wooden paddle lying on the bed, the blonde still did as he was told.</p><p>Zayne grabbed the paddle, sighing as he turned it over in his hands. This was an actual serious punishment, if he used this. It was broad and thin and hurt like hell, or so Rowan said. He made sure Rowan was positioned correctly, placing his left hand against his lower back and holding him there. "Keep this butt right where it is. If you move, you're getting more. And I might hit you somewhere we both won't like. You hear me? Ten."</p><p>Rowan whimpered a reply, gripping the seat of the chair tightly. Zayne gave him a few more seconds before swinging the paddle firmly against his ass. It was a much sharper <em>crack</em> of sound compared to before."You're not to use the bikes. You knew that. Why did you do it anyway?"</p><p>"I thought you wouldn't find out!" the younger man gasped, obviously trying to not bounce on his toes at the sting of the paddle.</p><p>"Well, thanks for that bit of honesty," Zayne replied, rolling his eyes but landing two more hard strikes before he continued. "Whether I found out or not, I don't want you doing it. You refuse to get a license, and sometimes your mood is just a bit too unstable for driving. You could get in an accident or caught by enforcement. How would I live without you for a year or two, huh? My hand's no replacement for this tight ass."</p><p>Rowan snorted a laugh, but it got cut off when the paddle smacked against him again. "I know, I know! I won't do it again."</p><p>"Hm. Let's make sure." The last blows were even harder, meant to drive the point across in a final way. Rowan had been <em>warned</em> excessively before, so if this was what needed to happen first, Zayne would provide it.</p><p>He set the paddle aside, walking away briefly to fetch a salve from the bedside table, and opening the lid before beginning to spread some very cautiously over the sore red skin of Rowan's ass. "I don't do this for fun," he said quietly, listening to Rowan's hissing and groans as he was touched. "At least not this time. I want you safe and with me. And I can't have that if you're being such a naughty boy."</p><p>Rowan was silent a long time as the salve began to soothe him, before murmuring, "Okay. Sorry, Zee."</p><p>"Oh, it's alright, kitty-kat," Zayne replied, finishing up and moving back a little. "You can stand up now. You've been punished, and I think you're repentant, so it's all fine again. I just think you owe me a little something extra." He stepped back further before sitting on the bed a second time, leaning back and spreading his legs apart. "I'm fucking horny after my workout, and seeing that ass without being able to enjoy it for so long," he sighed, reaching into his boxers and taking out his thick cock. "Get down on your knees and suck me off."</p><p>Rowan didn't seem to need to be told twice this time. Zayne caught a glimpse of how stiff his boyfriend's cock was too before he fell to his knees as instructed, immediately opening his mouth and drawing Zayne in deep.</p><p>"Fuck, you're good at this," he mumbled, stroking his hands through Rowan's fluffy hair. It was building him up so fast. Rowan, naked and red-assed on the floor, talented lips around Zayne's cock... It was almost too much. He leaned back further, watching through his eyelashes as his boyfriend's blonde head bobbed up and down between his legs.</p><p>He came faster than expected, filling Rowan's mouth, who swallowed with pleasure. "Good boy, good boy," Zayne panted, riding down the waves of an intense orgasm before he could pull Rowan up and bring him to cuddle on the bed. "Shit. That was amazing. I'd rather you weren't naughty first, but damn."</p><p>Rowan whimpered, experimentally humping at Zayne's leg for a moment. "I'll be good, please..."</p><p>"Oh, you will be!" Zayne laughed, holding himself away so that Rowan couldn't touch him like that again. "You don't get to come yet, though. Be good for a while longer, then maybe."</p><p>Rowan was fussy about it, but obeyed, lying still and quiet then while Zayne cuddled him closer. He stroked the younger man's hair, wondering how he'd gotten so lucky to find someone just as kinky as he was, and not wanting to contemplate ever losing him at all.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Zayne and Rowan <em>finally</em> pick up a job, but not until after spending most of the morning doing what they do.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I thought I was exaggerating the boys' level of Horny but it's possible I <em>under</em>estimated them. They literally took my chapter and ran away with it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The entire week had nearly been a blur. It had been so relaxing and laid back, in fact, that it hardly seemed <em>real</em> once it was over. Rowan's misbehavior aside, Zayne couldn't remember the last time they had both been so calm and peaceful with each other.</p><p>It also took nearly a week to get used to being on solid ground. It was disorienting, to say the least, waking up in a bed that wasn't swaying slightly as the ship beneath it made its way through space. When Zayne opened his eyes on the last morning, he expected the stillness and realized he would miss it.</p><p>For now, he had a few more minutes. Maybe longer. Rowan was curled into a warm ball at his side, and the room was quiet without the sound of the Gamma Ray's perpetually humming engines. He might miss this more than a little. But what else could they do for money? They were both getting tired of instant noodles, and their home and the bikes wouldn't pay for themselves.</p><p>He shifted, stretching, then turning so that he could wrap around his boyfriend, humming softly in his ear. He knew Rowan had been up late last night, and that was the only reason the younger man wasn't the first one awake. Rowan would also be a bit pissed that it was after 10am Earth time. It would be a good idea to wake him up pleasurably.</p><p>Zayne continued to hum, stroking his fingers down Rowan's slim, pale back, then up his thighs, coaxing his body to unfurl for easier access to more intimate areas. As usual, the blonde was responsive, still mostly asleep, but letting out a breathy moan that convinced Zayne he must think he was dreaming. One large hand groped Rowan's ass, pressing between his cheeks to finger his dry hole, while his other hand teased at Rowan's cock, which was rapidly growing harder.</p><p>"Zee," he suddenly heard the smaller man mumble, "Time is it?"</p><p><em>Shit.</em> "Uh... Past time for us to get up. Sorry, baby."</p><p>"The fuck?" Rowan was rousing more, starting to get grumpy. Zayne had to think fast, releasing him before pushing him back against the bed and pulling the blankets away, quickly moving down and capturing Rowan's cock in his mouth.</p><p>Rowan's sharp little gasp was thrilling. Zayne's erection throbbed in response, sliding forward against the bed as he sucked his boyfriend. He wanted nothing more than to get Rowan slicked up and then absolutely pound him, but there wasn't time. Even he had to admit to that now.</p><p>Rowan's cock slipped out of his mouth with a wet <em>pop</em> as he pulled away, grinning, and leaned up to kiss him instead. "Listen, I <em>am</em> sorry. Let's get in the shower, we can jerk each other off? Should save some time. Then we'll have a nice breakfast and get right on the job boards, yeah? That sounds good, doesn't it?"</p><p>He practically had to hold his breath, hoping that the response would be positive. It would be a bad day to take off if Rowan was in a mood. "Sure," his boyfriend finally sighed, not sounding as upset as he could. "Let's do that. We need money."</p><p>"Oh, I know," Zayne cooed, already moving and helping Rowan get to his feet. He bent down and scooped up the smaller man with ease due to his strength and much practice, carrying him to the bathroom.</p><p>Showers could be as advanced as one wanted in this particular day and age. Zayne had heard of the oddest technology, such as getting yourself clean with certain light particles or weird kinds of energy vibrations. None of that interested him, however, as water still did just fine in his opinion. Plus, what was <em>sexy</em> about light particles? He would much rather watch liquid sliding across his boyfriend's naked skin.</p><p>Even better was fucking under a warm spray of water, listening to the wet slap of hips bouncing off each other, but they might have more time for that during their space flight. He set Rowan down and turned the shower on, giving him a nudge to get him to step in first. They washed each other's hair and bodies in a sleepy but heated daze, soon enough only focused on stroking each other's hard cocks with soapy hands. Zayne had his head pressed down close to Rowan's, feeling his moist warmth as they both orgasmed one after the other, moans mingling to fill the enclosed space with the sound of pleasure.</p><p>They needed more time to calm down and then wash again, but they were out of the shower and drying off much faster than if they had taken the time to have sex in bed. There was the usual amount of fussing over hair, both of them needing to dry and style their own somewhat. Zayne's mohawk took a lot more maintenance, however, and Rowan had wandered off to the bedroom again before he was finished with it.</p><p>He sauntered in with a towel still around his shoulders, just in time to see Rowan putting on a plain t-shirt. Zayne moved up and snatched the pair of underwear he had picked up next, shaking his head and eyeing Rowan appreciatively. "How about you leave it at that for now? The shirt shows off just enough. I'm gonna keep awake much better if I can see that naked butt and cute little dick flopping around for the next hour or so."</p><p>Rowan, about to get indignant at the sudden loss of his underwear, stared at Zayne for a long moment before rolling his eyes. "Zee, you say the stupidest shit I've ever heard sometimes, I swear," he huffed in exasperation. The older man was pleased to note that he didn't try to retrieve the underwear and instead walked out the way that had been suggested.</p><p>"Couldn't have been <em>that</em> stupid," he called with a smirk, practically scrambling over himself to tug on his boxers and stumble out the door, eager to watch Rowan's ass as he made his way toward the kitchen. Didn't matter how many times he'd seen it, the sight was always well worth it.</p><p>He was a little too slow, but did see Rowan standing in front of their small fridge with a mournful expression. "I want my mint milk," he whined, almost under his breath, though Zayne heard and moved in close to hug him from behind.</p><p>"Aw, baby," he sighed, leaning down to kiss the blonde's neck. "I know we couldn't afford that this week. But next time, after this job, we'll get you a big carton, okay?"</p><p>Rowan was still pouting, clearly trying to get as much sympathy as he could, even though he genuinely missed the sweet drink he liked most for breakfast. Zayne drank black coffee like it was water, and it was <em>cheap</em> as water, fortunately. Mint milk came from a plant that could not be imitated like coffee beans, having a sugary mint taste and pale green color, and wasn't exactly inexpensive.</p><p>Zayne reached down and stroked Rowan's right buttock soothingly before giving it a firm squeeze. Not letting him wear any bottoms had been an absolutely amazing idea, he was quickly deciding. "C'mon. Be a good kitty-cat and sit at the table, I'll handle the coffee and food. I got you a surprise yesterday, you didn't even see it yet!" He maneuvered Rowan to sit down on one of the metal chairs, getting another perverse thrill from watching him shudder as his skin touched it. The best idea ever, actually.</p><p>He got busy with the coffee (instant) and noodles (also instant.) There was no way for them to afford anything else for now. With a wide grin, he finally brought out the surprise from the fridge, an incredibly small carton containing two blue eggs with speckled shells. "See-"</p><p>"Oh, Mata eggs," Rowan cut him off with a loud, overly dramatic sigh. "Thanks a lot. Not what I wanted."</p><p>Zayne squinted at him. "It's a treat for the noodles. I spent the last credit I had on them yesterday, and I would have gotten the milk if I could. You know that." He turned back to start cracking eggs into the bowls, watching as they instantly began to heat and cook themselves. "I'm going to warn you now that there's no time for bratty behavior this morning," he added, a little more stern. "You're the one who wanted to get to the job so bad. Understand?"</p><p>Rowan was quiet until Zayne set his bowl in front of him. Possibly he remained grumpy due to the late hour they'd gotten up, or how cold the metal chair was against his bare ass. Either way, Zayne was not in the mood to play around with it. "Eat up," he instructed, sitting down opposite Rowan and immediately digging into his own food.</p><p>The Mata eggs at least added more flavor than the noodles themselves could ever provide. They absorbed some of the salt and added a savory taste, cutting through most of the slight artificial tang these instant noodles could have. The Mata itself was a flightless bird kept on the station, though Zayne had no idea where it was originally from. Their meat was absolutely vile, but the eggs somehow beyond delicious.</p><p>"Tastes better this way," he finally heard Rowan mumble, making him look up with a warm smile. "And the blue is nice. Thanks, Zee." The younger man kept his eyes on his bowl, eating quickly, and Zayne reached over to pat his hand in acknowledgment before they both finished up.</p><p>The bowls had to be cleaned and put away, because Rowan <em>insisted</em>, and then they could head toward the computer room. It was only called that because it was a small room consisting of a desk and one large chair, with a message board computer connected to the Dataweb, which dominated most of the space. It was such a specific system because they had far better computers on the Gamma Ray and didn't need anything like that at home.</p><p>Spacers could find a job in one of several ways. The most common were the Dataweb job boards, direct contact from a client, and job offers that could be picked up by traveling to any of the galaxy's Unified planets. Zayne found the job boards to be easiest in the end because you could usually pick from a long list, depending on what time of day you were checking. The only drawback was he would forget or get too busy to check until most of the better jobs were long gone.</p><p>"Can I have some pants now?" he heard Rowan say, turning to see the younger man had paused outside the door to the bedroom.</p><p>"Nope!" Zayne replied with a cheery grin, catching his wrist and nudging him ahead again. "Damn, seeing that ass hanging out is too incredible to end so soon. I may get distracted if we carry on much longer." Rowan could have pants before they left the house, he decided. He was enjoying himself far too much.</p><p>Zayne ignored his boyfriend's grumbling on the matter and sat himself down in the computer chair, patting his lap for Rowan to sit on top of. Rowan shook his head, obstinate, and just stood nearby as Zayne loaded up the Dataweb on the screen in front of them. The smooth dark surface populated with a short list of glowing letters. "Hm. Five jobs left. Well, guess that's not the worst that could happen-"</p><p>"Oh, right!" Rowan exploded. He wasn't happy about it, as Zayne had predicted. The warning signs were already forming, and Zayne was prepared for trouble. "Maybe if we had gotten up earlier and not spent so much time fucking around! That's your fault!"</p><p>"Can I ask who was awake first?" he said calmly, keeping his voice cool on purpose in hopes of defusing the situation.</p><p>"I had to stay up to make sure the plants were settled last night!" Rowan nearly shouted. "You knew we had to get up early, but you didn't do anything about it!" The younger man was getting too worked up, and not many options would remain soon. "Now look, five jobs to choose from, and the shittiest ones I'm sure. So fuck you!"</p><p>Zayne was out of the chair surprisingly fast, grabbing Rowan's arm and twisting it behind his back, immobilizing him as he easily pushed him forward the short distance to the wall. "You want to try saying that again?" he suggested quietly in Rowan's ear, continuing to twist his arm up.</p><p>"<em>Fuck you</em>," Rowan unwisely repeated, struggling even though it was useless.</p><p>Zayne drew back, expression hard. He lifted his free hand and brought it down on Rowan's conveniently naked ass, six heavy swats, three on each side, that left bright pink marks against pale skin. Rowan cried out just once, but he was leaning his head back and panting, and Zayne could feel how much his body trembled.</p><p>"You respect your dom, Rowan. You know what the rules are," he said in a low voice, directly into his boyfriend's ear again. "And you will not speak to me that way. There are five jobs left, but there will be even less if you keep yelling at me. So it's up to you. Are we gonna sit down and pick one of these now, or do I have to put you over my knee first?"</p><p>Rowan's trembling had gradually slowed as he seemed to pull himself together, then he was still as he weakly shook his head. "No, Zayne," he mumbled, the softest whimper betraying his emotions. "You don't have to spank me more, I'll stop. I promise."</p><p>Zayne slowly released him, then gave him a tender kiss on the forehead before he sat back down. "Good. I know you're upset about things, but you have to control it better, please." He eyed the marks on Rowan's skin a moment before relaxing with a satisfied smirk on his face. "Handprints are exactly what a little brat needs on his bare ass first thing in the morning."</p><p>Rowan huffed but pushed his way over and sat on the larger man's lap with only a slight squirm giving away his remaining discomfort. Zayne squeezed him between his thighs, keeping Rowan still. His boyfriend struggled so much with his anger, but he had improved a lot as well. Being Rowan's dom, to him, felt like such an honor because he was also able to <em>help</em> with it. By now, he knew when Rowan needed that help, or when he didn't, and how to act accordingly.</p><p>"Right," Zayne continued in a normal tone as though nothing had happened, sliding his arms around Rowan as they both looked at the screen. "Rogue robot capture? Uh, no, thanks. That's scary."</p><p>Rowan snorted softly as he laughed. "You're such a wimp. You have the blaster, if it's just <em>one</em> robot-"</p><p>"Nah, not putting you in danger like that," Zayne continued, not waiting for further debate as he moved on down the list. "Interspace signal investigation, lost cargo freighter, entourage transport... All pretty meh. But here... This doesn't look bad. There's a derelict medical ship in the Cobalt Rift that the company wants salvaged. Pay looks good, ship is small, max of a half dozen machines to retrieve. Hell yeah, that looks simple. What do you think, Row?"</p><p>Rowan frowned in serious thought, though he was also slightly bouncing on top of Zayne's legs as the older man purposely moved, and elbowed him to stop. "It's okay, but the Cobalt Rift? That's only a few days' travel, but isn't that the one with the massive asteroids?"</p><p>Zayne hummed to himself but didn't seem too concerned. "We can plot a course, time it so we're nowhere near anything that could hit us. I don't see a problem. Is that alright, or you want one of the others? Look, half payment in advance..." he added temptingly. Without even thinking about it, his hands had inched down and slid their way between Rowan's thighs.</p><p>"I guess so. It's our best bet out of all of them when you put it that way. That's settled then." The blonde squirmed, arching his back suddenly. "Ugh, Zee. Your dick's stabbing me, the job's gonna get taken before you can put in the call if we get distracted."</p><p>With a sudden laugh, Zayne pushed Rowan up and off his lap. He really <em>hadn't</em> noticed when he started touching his boyfriend's cock, an idle reaction to having him there, stroking him semi-stiff again in the same way he was. "Your fault for being half-naked and sitting this fuckable little ass on my lap, huh?"</p><p>"My fault!?" Rowan shot back, seeming agitated all over again, though Zayne knew it wasn't serious this time. "You're the one who wouldn't let me put on my fucking underwear!"</p><p>"You're right, you're right," Zayne continued laughing, giving him another little push as he stood up too. "Get dressed then, I'll put in the call. Then I'll get dressed, grab our stuff, and we're gone. Ten minutes, easy. We have time to bang in every single position before we get to the Cobalt Rift."</p><p>Rowan gave another exasperated sigh. "It's about the job, the money, you dumbass." Zayne kept his gaze firmly on his boyfriend's erection instead, lifting an eyebrow.</p><p>"I don't know what your dick's twitching for, then," he said smugly. "For me, it's obviously about the job, the money, <em>and</em> your wet hole clenched around me. Now get going."</p><p>He aimed a smack at Rowan's retreating backside, pleased by how pink it remained, before hurrying to get to the comm systems. It really was a struggle, fitting jobs around this never-ending horny mood he was in whenever his boyfriend was around, but it was a struggle he knew they both didn't mind.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>With three days of travel to the Cobalt Rift, there's plenty of time to indulge in more kink, or even get a little sappy.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Despite their myriad delays, Zayne and Rowan did make it onto the ship. Rowan had to spend a little longer saying goodbye to every plant, but he did get to put his pants on beforehand, at least. Zayne needed to do one more check to be sure the bikes were secured, and Rowan swore he said goodbye to them, too. Finally, when there was no possible way to put it off any longer, Zayne directed them toward the spacedock, an arm around Rowan's shoulders, and a bright smile on his face.</p><p>"About time," the blonde grumbled, happy to be leaving, but irritated because his boyfriend was still much too slow and lazy for the urgency they needed.</p><p>"Hey, I'm not the one who had to say goodbye to fifty fucking plants," Zayne scoffed, even though his bright manner had not dimmed. He leaned down to kiss the top of Rowan's head just before the Gamma Ray's airlock whooshed open.</p><p>"They're <em>important</em>," Rowan insisted, heading straight toward the cockpit; Zayne had the bags, and he took them to the bedroom before joining him. Rowan was already busy working at the navi computer, fingers tapping out a sharp rhythm on the keys. He was the better of the two at plotting courses, while Zayne did more of the actual flying.</p><p>"Coordinates are weird," Rowan commented almost absentmindedly as Zayne hugged him from behind. "I guess it's not stationary, though. We're going to have to search around a certain radius from the ship's last sighting. It'll take more effort, that must be why the pay is higher."</p><p>"Fine with me," Zayne said with a shrug, starting to rock them back and forth once Rowan's hands had left the keyboard. "Flying is fun."</p><p>"Zee, you're stupid," Rowan groaned, earning a light pinch to his side. "Remember the asteroids? This isn't a pleasure cruise. And do you <em>also</em> remember we're getting scored on this mission? We should actually <em>try</em> or something."</p><p>"I remember!" Zayne had released him abruptly but didn't seem upset by anything. He walked over to the pilot's seat and began to strap in, gesturing for Rowan to do the same in the copilot's. "We can totally be serious on a mission if we need to be." There was no further chatter between them as they ran a systems check and opened a channel to the docking bay for takeoff clearance. There was absolute silence beyond the gradually increasing hum of the Gamma Ray powering up and the click of the lights in the hangar overhead. The lights stretched toward their exit, a large hatch that was slowly opening to reveal the stars beyond. Zayne couldn't help but feel excited, almost as much as he had been the first time he had gone into space. No matter how commonplace it could be considered nowadays, the novelty of space travel was still strong for many.</p><p>Once they were out and manually piloted a safe distance from the station, the autopilot kicked in from Rowan's input on the navi computer earlier. Essentially, the course would only need to be checked every ten hours for minor corrections in case any outside influences had messed with the flight plan.</p><p>Zayne unbuckled himself from the safety harness quickly, before Rowan even had time to do anything. He walked over and knelt in front of his boyfriend, back to grinning again. "Let me help you there, kitty-cat... oh... this buckle won't open. Guess you're stuck here, and I'll have to pin your legs up and rail you right in the chair..."</p><p>Rowan actually laughed, batting Zayne away and undoing the straps himself. "Jerk. That's a fun idea, but no. I want to be free, thanks." He stood, but Zayne was fast, grabbing him and holding firm.</p><p>"Well, from what I recall, we have the next three days before we get to the location. Remember what you said about this not being a pleasure cruise? I'm about to prove you wrong." Zayne's breath was hot against Rowan's neck, and then he bit down possessively, sliding his hands inside the back of Rowan's pants to squeeze his ass hard.</p><p>Predictably, Rowan melted under this attention. And it was no surprise when they really did spend the better part of the first two days in bed, satisfying each other in various ways as the stars slid past the viewscreens.</p><p>-----</p><p>On the third day of their flight to the Cobalt Rift, they were a little more active outside of bed. Zayne had been going over the systems with a critical eye to make sure everything was working before their arrival, but now he was sitting on one of the extra chairs in the cockpit, idly fidgeting with a game on his visual phone. Rowan was still industrious, busily searching up more information on the Dataweb. He seemed obsessed with the asteroids, which was a valid concern, yet Zayne didn't want him so stressed out over it that he caused problems.</p><p>He waited to be sure he wasn't interrupting anything before suddenly reaching out for the younger man, pulling him close and then actually <em>lifting</em> him up to straddle his lap, facing Zayne. He forestalled the irritated protests with a mischievous smirk as he held a finger to Rowan's lips. "Nope. Rule check."</p><p>Rowan made a frustrated sound. "Really? We did one last week... I'm busy. Later?"</p><p>"No. When Daddy says rule check, baby recites the rules."</p><p>"Zee, I am <em>not</em>-"</p><p>"Hush. I know you're not calling me that. Now, I want the rules, please." Zayne was firm yet still playful, looking up at Rowan's flushed face as he struggled to be obedient. "You agreed to all of these, remember. Start with number one."</p><p>Rowan groaned, but his eyes were downcast as he finally complied. "Supposed to do as I'm told, when my dom says to, without backtalk. Unless I truly disagree, and then I use my safeword so we can talk about it."</p><p>"Exactly, though you did take some liberties with the wording," Zayne teased, gently stroking Rowan's sides through his shirt. "Next?" He hadn't decided to push the fact that his boyfriend had technically just broken this rule, as it was always up to his discretion whether to enforce it or not.</p><p>"My safeword is 'angel,' and I'm supposed to use it whenever I feel uncomfortable or need to stop for any reason." This had been easier for him to say, but he still seemed reluctant to continue.</p><p>"No touching the toy box, those are for my dom to use, not me." This 'toy box' was a small chest containing everything from plugs to restraints to impact tools of all kinds which rested at the foot of their bed. Rowan never did feel a compulsion to open the box anyway, so it wasn't exactly the hardest rule to follow.</p><p>"Respect my dom. He decides what's disrespect or not if needed," Rowan mumbled, even as Zayne nodded enthusiastically. There were times that playful name-calling was fine, but seriously getting angry and turning rude was rarely tolerated.</p><p>"Good boy. Now, the last one is...?"</p><p>Rowan fidgeted, clearly not wanting to say it. He never did, it was so embarrassing. "That's enough, right? We know what it is."</p><p>Zayne clucked his tongue before pushing Rowan back off his lap, then guiding him around and pulling him to bend over it instead. "This might jog your memory."</p><p>"But I didn't do anything!" the blonde protested, kicking one of his legs out in frustration, squirming.</p><p>"Not exactly, but you seem to think more clearly while in this position," Zayne teased. "Tell me the rule, exactly, please." He rested a large hand on the seat of Rowan's pants in a warning that this <em>could</em> turn into a punishment if he wasn't careful.</p><p>There was a long moment of silence where Zayne was certain Rowan had his teeth clenched tightly before he finally spoke. "When kitty-cat is naughty, kitty-cat gets a spanking."</p><p>Zayne didn't have to look to know Rowan was blushing. It was just the silly and cute, but also erotic, tone to the words that flustered him so much. That had been calculated on purpose, of course.</p><p>"Mmhmm," Zayne hummed, beginning to rub Rowan's backside through his pants. "When kitty-cat's a bad, naughty boy, he gets turned over his dom's knee for a good hard spanking. That's what you're saying, right?"</p><p>"<em>Yes</em>, that's what you asked for," Rowan whined, though he was lifting his ass up into the attention. "I said the rules, can I go now?"</p><p>"I don't know, I'm still thinking about it," Zayne replied, sounding as though he was indeed thinking very hard. He reached under Rowan and deftly unbuttoned his pants, loosening them enough to pull them down, exposing his tight briefs underneath. "Just to make sure... He would go over his dom's knee with his pants down, yes?"</p><p>"Yes," Rowan replied shortly, squirming again. Zayne could feel the bulge of Rowan's swelling cock against his leg and smirked to himself. He was so predictable and perfect.</p><p>"Okay... what about his underwear?" Zayne began to tug them down, hissing softly at the sight of his boyfriend's bare ass. It was what he most liked to look at in the galaxy, he felt sure. "Are his underwear down too, showing off how pale and smooth his skin is? How much it needs to be turned red and rough?"</p><p>Rowan seemed beyond speech. He was moaning, still wiggling as he tried to get some friction against Zayne's leg, his cock now hard and pulsing with eagerness. Zayne smirked again, deciding to draw it out just a little more.</p><p>"I'll take that as a yes. So now, I'm pretty sure I can figure out the rest. He gets thrown over his dom's knee, and then he gets his bare butt spanked for being such a terrible little brat. The dom has a hard hand, but if kitty-cat's an extra naughty boy, there's a paddle or a strap just perfect for making him realize his mistake and learn to do better next time."</p><p>Rowan was moving frantically by now, and Zayne grinned as he lifted his hand to aim a hard slap at the younger man's backside. "Oh, but a good boy can get spanked, too. As he is a filthy pervert, it turns him on to be bent over and get his ass smacked repeatedly." He lifted his hand again. "You were such a good boy, reciting the rules, that I think you deserve this."</p><p>For a little while, there was only the sound of Zayne's hand connecting sharply with the soft flesh of Rowan's ass, not as hard as a punishment, but the language he used beforehand had worked Rowan up so much that he was desperate. He was going to come right over Zayne's lap while getting spanked, which was hot as hell.</p><p>"After this, we're gonna have to get to bed again," he mused aloud, not sorry about that at all.</p><p>-----</p><p>Later, both spent and somewhat exhausted, they were curled together in bed in complete contentment. Zayne had Rowan pulled against his chest and held him tightly, still feeling a greater heat coming from the warm pink skin of his backside than from anywhere else.</p><p>"You're such a dirty little spanko," Zayne chuckled, kissing Rowan's ear. "I don't know what to do with you sometimes."</p><p>"Yeah, well, what about you?" Rowan sighed, wriggling back more fully against his boyfriend. "You needed to fuck afterward."</p><p>"I always thought it was good horny fun before I met you, but it's not the same now. You're the one who made me love it as much as I do, in case you forgot. I thought <em>I</em> was a pervert, and then I met <em>you</em>. What a bad influence." Zayne was sliding dangerously close to reminiscing, which Rowan didn't care for some of the time, but this time he only gave a gentle snort of disapproval, which was enough of an encouragement for Zayne to continue.</p><p>He cuddled Rowan even closer, speaking the words against his soft skin. "You remember how we met? The party?" Rowan hummed quietly, seeming too tired to reply. "Of course you do. It was the biggest party I'd ever been to. There was so much alcohol... Guess I was a little drunk when I spotted you. But you were the cutest guy ever, and I just had to go over and-"</p><p>"And call me a 'damn sexy twink,' those were your exact words," Rowan huffed quietly, though he wasn't upset at all.</p><p>Zayne laughed. "Yeah. I said I was drunk, right? And I'm still of the opinion that you're a damn sexy twink. It just wasn't the right thing to say to you immediately, since you threw your drink at me after that. But you were wasted, too. I felt bad, a little anyway, but it <em>was</em> a hookup party. We both knew that."</p><p>It was silent for a time then, beyond the sound of Zayne gently rubbing Rowan's arm in soothing patterns. He almost thought his boyfriend was asleep until he suddenly mumbled, "What happened next?"</p><p>They both knew, but it was a way they sometimes relaxed the day before a mission in particular. "Well, I asked if you wanted to fuck. You actually said yes, despite how mad you seemed. But then we made it to one of the bedrooms, and you passed out right away since you'd drank way too much. I was disappointed but ended up just falling asleep looking at you. By the time we both woke up, we were getting kicked out, and then I managed to get your number before you disappeared like a star in the daylight."</p><p>Rowan grunted softly. "Poetic. Did you call me?"</p><p>"Oh fuck yes, I called you. I couldn't forget that smooth little body, tight ass, pretty blonde hair. We fucked the next time. It was... incredible. It was only then that I got to know you. Mainly about what a little sexual deviant you are, wanting to be tied up and spanked all the time. About how you'd always wanted a dom... But I wasn't sure. I dated some other guys but kept coming back to you. When I finally figured out I could be your dom, that I wanted to take care of you, bad temper and all, no matter what... I was lucky you said yes."</p><p>Zayne was falling asleep just the same as Rowan was, his face resting against the back of the smaller man's neck. "Then, I fell in love with you. Can't do without you. I'll protect you forever, Row."</p><p>Shifting in his arms as though settling, Rowan gave the slightest nod. "Love you, Zee."</p><p>"Love you too, perfect kitty-cat. Get some sleep. We're up in six hours for our destination. Gotta do our job." Zayne closed his eyes, hearing Rowan's breathing had already become rhythmic. Being here with his boyfriend, like this, made everything worth it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Zayne and Rowan <em>finally</em> get their job done, but not before one of them makes a dangerous choice.</p>
<p>Probably a bit more dramatic and emotional than previous, but I was kinda in the mood for that.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The computer system alarm was what woke them, letting them know they were a good half hour out from the Cobalt Rift. Zayne and Rowan might be horny idiots (as Zayne so often liked to say), but they knew when they had to do their job. They were up and getting dressed and on their way to the cockpit with very few words or contact between them, beyond Zayne reaching to grope Rowan's ass for a moment while it was still bare. That was the really regrettable part about work, in his mind, that he couldn't ogle his boyfriend quite as much.</p>
<p>Neither of them ever had an appetite before a job. They tended to wake up and do what they had to, then fall into various forms of debauchery afterward: food, alcohol, and sex. It was mainly that they enjoyed each other too much and felt a large sense of accomplishment after managing to do anything that <em>wasn't</em> indulgent for any amount of time.</p>
<p>Rowan had been out the door first and was sitting in the copilot's seat when Zayne arrived a few minutes later. He was energetically punching in coordinates from the area scans, plotting their course to avoid asteroids. It would be another matter when they were on the derelict ship, that being the most dangerous part of their mission.</p>
<p>Considering how important it was, Zayne let him be, sliding into the pilot seat and watching their radar, able to switch to manual controls before too much longer. He just had to take them into the actual rift, then let the programs take over. "Coming right up on it, babe. Damn... Look at that mess. I wonder how many the ship ran into. Must have been one hell of a bad radar malfunction..."</p>
<p>The sight spreading across the viewscreen was the usual starfield, but absolutely littered with asteroids, many of them being exactly what they appeared: massive boulders drifting slowly through space. It was fascinating to look at, but going into the middle of them was never particularly appealing.</p>
<p>Rowan glanced up for a moment with seeming disinterest but was more focused on his work than anything else. "Fifteen minutes until we reach the ship," he said. "This is tricky. No wonder it was still on the list." He added an accusing little glare, insinuating it was Zayne's fault, but the older man just laughed.</p>
<p>"You got me there, Row. I'm sorry, but we're also gonna get paid a ton, and an amazing review with the company, and we can relax another month." Maybe they should really be working more to <em>save</em> money, but they were both in a mindset of enjoying themselves more often for the time being.</p>
<p>"Whatever, dumbass," Rowan grumbled, turning back to his screen and continuing to work. Zayne snorted a soft laugh.</p>
<p>"Mind your manners, kitty-cat. There's no time to discipline you until after we're through." Oh, but he could <em>make</em> time if it was necessary. There had been more than one occasion where he'd bent Rowan over a railing or freight container and given him a quick but hard attitude adjustment over the seat of his pants while on a job. If there was no one within earshot, of course. The presence of the asteroids this time, however, meant that it likely would not happen. This job was largely dependent on timing and keeping to a strict schedule; failure to do so could be more dangerous than Zayne wanted to think about.</p>
<p>Rowan kept silent, and the rest of the way to the ship proceeded smoothly, while Zayne manually flew them through the initial area of the asteroid field. When the medical ship finally came into view, even Rowan had to express some dismay at the sight of what must have once been a beautiful craft, now dented into an almost unrecognizable pulp of amazingly still-shining metal.</p>
<p>"Shit. I wonder if the machines are even intact? They should be unless they were right up against the walls. Still, we need six to get our maximum payout. Supposed to be ten left on board." Medical equipment of the type they would be collecting was expensive, and seeing how the company was rather small, it was likely they couldn't afford to hire anyone but Spacers. Even saying that, the money being offered was <em>substantial</em>.</p>
<p>"Let's hope so," Zayne replied, locking in the programmed autopilot and standing up. "Okay, docking's going off automatically once we get close enough. Now we just need our helmets, who knows if that ship's sprung a leak or not by now. Readings are stable, but... I dunno, I don't trust it. We'll wear the helmets."</p>
<p>He walked over to the equipment locker at the back of the cockpit, taking out both helmets and handing one to Rowan, who had joined him. "I hate these," the blonde announced, making a face even as he pulled it on and looked at Zayne through the plexishield. The helmets were rather round and obnoxiously orange in color, but easily supplied them with oxygen should they need it.</p>
<p>"Not stylish," Zayne agreed. "And they flatten my hair." He pulled on his own, adjusting it carefully and then checking Rowan's to be sure the valves were all operating, more out of habit than thinking anything was wrong. More than anything, he just had to know his boyfriend was safe and taken care of.</p>
<p>"Stop fussing at it and come on, we're running out of time," Rowan sighed, pulling away and walking quickly out and down the corridor that led to their docking ramp.</p>
<p>-----</p>
<p>The transferral from the Gamma Ray to the derelict ship had actually been easy. Maybe even a little too easy. It wasn't as though either of them wanted to complain. Now the two of them were walking down an eerily dark corridor of an unfamiliar spaceship, naturally becoming more wary and silent as they assessed what lay before them.</p>
<p>Zayne had already checked the timer around his wrist three times in the five minutes they had been on the medical ship. It was their key to knowing how long they had before they risked impact with an asteroid on either side. The window had needed to be precise, and it was just unfortunate that collecting the machines was a joint effort, and one person couldn't stay with their own ship.</p>
<p>"This place is creepy," Rowan commented, his voice strangely muffled through the helmet. Which was an understatement. Gravity was still holding, so nothing was floating around yet, but the darkness was oppressive, and the metallic clang of the smallest asteroids against the hull was amplified out of proportion, leaving them with the feeling that the ship could break apart at any moment. "I think the best idea is just to get in and out as fast as we can."</p>
<p>"That's my plan when I get on top of you afterward, too," Zayne replied with a smirk, but his attempt at a dirty joke fell somewhat flat at the moment. Rowan seemed genuinely disturbed by the place, and he put a muscular arm around the smaller man for brief reassurance.</p>
<p>They both knew the ship's layout based on an image sent by the client, so finding the central medical bay wasn't difficult. Various instruments and smaller machines lay scattered on the floor as though tossed around by children, and the larger ones were arranged in a loose semicircle near the back of the room. Zayne and Rowan picked their way over, quickly checking to see if there was any damage.</p>
<p>"Well, shit," Zayne swore a few minutes later. He made as if to run a hand through his hair, then remembered the helmet and dropped it again. "These four were way too close to the wall. They're banged in so bad that I can't even figure out which they were. So we're left with six... And we need to collect all of those to get the full payout. If we can get them to the Ray without a scratch, of course. What do you say, Row?"</p>
<p>"Shut up and come on," was Rowan's response, looking at his own timer. "Fifteen minutes. Our window was never going to be that long. Here, this one looks heaviest. You start pulling it, and I'll push behind."</p>
<p>They were scrambling to get the machines then, the chance for further discussion long gone. Zayne couldn't have told what any of the devices actually did, just that they were expensive and fucking <em>heavy</em> besides, even with his strength, and the hidden track beneath that allowed them to roll. Rowan's pushing was a welcome help, and as they made their way from the medical room back to the docking bay five times in a row, it was certainly taking a toll on them both.</p>
<p>It was the sixth machine, and the weariness in their muscles, that made them slow down. It was by far the lightest of the equipment, but their previous speed truly had tired them. Both of their wrist alarms began blaring simultaneously, and they both stopped in their tracks a mere twenty feet from the bay doors.</p>
<p>"Oh, <em>fuck</em>," Zayne sighed, immediately turning and making for the doors with the assumption that Rowan was right behind. "We tried."</p>
<p>He should have checked. He really should have, but how was he supposed to even think for a moment that his boyfriend would do something so absolutely stupid and reckless?</p>
<p>It was only a split second after the doors closed when Zayne realized Rowan was not in the room with him. He whirled around, but it was too late already; the door had locked, and the ship was automatically moving away based on the programs they had set in place.</p>
<p>Without another thought in his mind, Zayne turned and sprinted through the bay toward the cockpit, wanting to scream and swear, but unable to think enough to even do that. Rowan had stayed behind <em>on purpose</em>, that much was clear, and he also clearly expected Zayne to rescue him. If he didn't, he was about to be surprised.</p>
<p>He flung himself into the pilot's seat and started punching buttons wildly. It was likely he had never been so focused in his life, and he never wanted to be that focused again. The automatic programs were shut down, and he would have to find a way to fly back to the medical ship, close enough to connect their bays again.</p>
<p>It was harder without Rowan to help. Still, Zayne was a good pilot and had attended enough advanced classes to know what he was doing. Keeping a steady eye on both the radar and viewscreen, he maneuvered the Gamma Ray in the direction of the derelict ship, fortunately finding the path back through with relative ease for himself.</p>
<p>It wasn't the same for the other ship. A larger asteroid was moving straight toward it, which made sense considering Zayne and Rowan were supposed to both be safe by now. The feeling of helplessness was maddening as he watched the asteroid collide with the ship, denting the hull yet again and sending it into a slight spin. He would need to adjust for that, which he quickly did while trying not to imagine Rowan being thrown around by the force of impact.</p>
<p>Only a few more minutes and Zayne had the bays safely aligned. He briefly switched to an internal view as he opened the doors, the other ship's doors automatically opening as they should in response. A moment later, he could see the final machine being pushed through, and then Rowan fell into the room in a heap after it.</p>
<p>Hands shaking, Zayne set in their original course after closing the doors, then vaulted out of the chair and was in the docking bay faster than he had ever moved before. Rowan seemed to be just getting up, a small figure among the six machines that surrounded him, and Zayne strode toward him to immediately begin checking him over, pulling off his helmet and throwing it to the floor.</p>
<p>"No broken bones? No blood? Nothing hit you? No? Fuck... <em>Rowan</em>." When it became clear that his boyfriend was unharmed, he caught him up in a hug so tight it nearly did harm him, his eyes hot with unshed tears. "Why the fuck would you do something like that?!"</p>
<p>The blonde was such a little form in his tight grasp that he finally remembered to loosen up to allow him to speak easier. "Had to get all the money," Rowan mumbled faintly. "The company will give us a great review. Besides, I knew you'd get me."</p>
<p>"You little shit," Zayne responded, voice breaking. "You fucking little brat. I can't believe you. The company and the money can both go fuck themselves, what I can't live without is <em>you</em>. If something had happened to you, I..."</p>
<p>What he would do was left unsaid, as he spent quite some time then just holding Rowan while he quietly cried. He could have sworn he heard the younger man sniffling as well, but they both never talked through a moment like this.</p>
<p>"I was just looking out for us. But fine, I won't do anything like that again," Rowan said eventually, but Zayne shook his head and pulled back to look at him properly, his eyes now completely dry.</p>
<p>"That's right, you won't. And if you think we're done here, then you better think again, cuz your ass is <em>toast</em>, Rowan. Just... Not now. I'll deal with you later when I'm not so upset. For now, let's just go make sure the navigation is fine, then relax for a while." Seeing Rowan's downcast expression, he lifted his chin and kissed him, soft and much sweeter than usual, and it seemed to be the right reassurance.</p>
<p>-----</p>
<p>As it turned out, it was nearly a week later when Zayne decided to punish Rowan for what had happened. They had gotten out of the rift safely, taken the machines back to the company and taken full pay, even received that stellar review from the Spacers for a job well done. The Gamma Ray had a full stock of food, they were both fed and content, and Rowan was sitting in the cockpit that day fiddling with some minor equipment when Zayne grabbed him by the upper arm and dragged him to the bedroom.</p>
<p>So far, they hadn't discussed what had happened at all. They had been enjoying each other's company in a normal way, and Zayne had been secretly reveling in the fact that he still had Rowan, nothing terrible had happened, and nothing would. The only problem was that they both needed a sense of finality to the situation, and this was how it had to happen for the two of them.</p>
<p>"Assuming you know what this is about, kitty-cat," the older man said calmly, letting Rowan go and starting to unbutton his trousers for him. "You need a little lesson about risk-taking." He pulled both trousers and underwear down, helped his boyfriend step out of them, grabbed him again, and sat on the bed, pulling him over his lap.</p>
<p>"I had some trouble deciding exactly how to go about it but decided you'd not spend a lengthy amount of time over my knee. I already know you're sorry, and understand why the choice you made was the wrong one." Rowan was squirming slightly in place, and Zayne steadied him with a firm hand to the small of his back. He reached around with his other hand and grabbed the paddle he had placed on the bed earlier. "You're only getting ten swats, but they're going to be pretty fucking hard."</p>
<p>"No- Zayne," Rowan whimpered, though he didn't use his safe word. "I already know I was wrong, you even said so."</p>
<p>"So, you're saying you don't deserve this?"</p>
<p>Zayne's question hung in the air for a long moment, met only with silence until Rowan finally spoke. "No. I mean... I know I upset you."</p>
<p>"Upset me? You almost gave me a heart attack, you little brat," Zayne huffed. "So you earned this paddling both for endangering your own life, and endangering <em>mine</em> as a result." He pressed the implement against Rowan's pale backside for a moment before lifting it up. "And you're going to say 'Zayne loves me and doesn't want me to put myself in unnecessary danger' after every one. You got that?"</p>
<p>Rowan mumbled something that sounded like an agreement, but Zayne was already swinging the paddle down for a hard blow and watching as the younger man's skin instantly blossomed pink. "Zayne loves me... and doesn't want me to put myself in unnecessary danger!" Rowan choked out, clearly feeling the bite of the wood against his skin quite sharply.</p>
<p>It was rare for Rowan to be punished like this, hard from the start and without a warmup. Zayne thought it would be far more memorable than any other way. The paddle landed in loud slaps against tender flesh, ringing into the silence before Rowan cried out and gasped the line he was to say. By the time nine was reached, he was writhing and kicking, just short of begging for it to stop, but knowing he had earned it and needed to take it.</p>
<p>The last had been a particularly hard and raw blow, and Rowan had gone limp over Zayne's knee after barely managing to speak the line. Zayne was already reaching for the balm to smooth over his sore skin, being as careful as possible with it. "I'm sorry, baby," he murmured soothingly. "You can't behave like that, do you understand?"</p>
<p>"Yes," Rowan whimpered, his voice thick with emotion. Zayne was sure he was crying just a little. "I'm the one who's sorry, Zee. I can't hurt you like that- I don't want to. I'm sorry. Thank you for punishing me-" His voice broke into a soft sob, and Zayne hurried to finish so that he could carefully hold the smaller man in his arms instead.</p>
<p>As he rocked his boyfriend slightly, humming in a comforting way until the tears stopped, Zayne was reflecting again about how willing he was to do everything Rowan needed. He was aroused by regular spankings, of course, but sometimes really <em>needed</em> discipline like this to move past some of the challenges in his life. It hurt him to think of Rowan without that assistance, and he knew he would always do whatever he could to make it better.</p>
<p>"Love you, Zee." Rowan's soft mumble cut into Zayne's thoughts, and he smiled, cuddling the smaller male close.</p>
<p>"And I love you, you infuriating kitty-cat," he replied gently, stroking through his blonde hair with a free hand. "I'm not about to stop, don't worry. I'll spank your ass 'til it falls off if I have to, but don't make me, cuz I'd miss seeing it there."</p>
<p>Rowan's quiet laughter was musical in Zayne's ears. He closed his eyes, not letting go, and wishing he never had to.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The ship has a very small problem. Thankfully, there is a very small solution.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>APOLOGIES to those of you who have seen this posted multiple times - Been having technical problems. Hopefully it stays here now.</p>
<p>This chapter contains an abundance of dirty talk, spanking, and sex. I needed some trash, and these trash boys are always ready. Thanks for reading if you choose to!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zayne sighed, running a hand through his hair, which was flopping down over his head instead of carefully styled as it usually was. He was staring at the fuel tank, and specifically the little cap... thingy... that held the fuel inside. He was decent at flying ships, not at knowing what every technical name was.</p>
<p>It wasn't the cap thingy, it was more the lack thereof. Zayne wrinkled his nose in a sort of disgusted confusion, getting down on his hands and knees and attempting to peer under the heavy equipment in the engine room. As usual, it was impossible to see all the way underneath, though he had continued with the hope that the piece he was looking for would fall down and not roll too far away.</p>
<p>Because this wasn't the first time it had happened. There was something about the fitting that jostled the cap loose almost every time the Gamma Ray landed. It meant an extra trip into whatever port they could manage to land on next, and Zayne was beginning to consider getting someone professional to take a look at it.</p>
<p>"What's wrong? ...<em>Again</em>?"</p>
<p>Zayne looked up to see Rowan in the doorway, disbelief plain on his face. "Yeah, again. I'm beginning to wonder if they don't jump off and roll away of their own free will," Zayne sighed in response.</p>
<p>As Zayne had, Rowan got down on the floor and tried to see under the equipment as well. "We never do find them. Problem is, we can't even use light to see under here. We'd have to tear up every machine. There's no way."</p>
<p>He stood again, and Zayne promptly slid an arm around his waist, his hand seeming to naturally snake down and fondle Rowan's ass through his jeans. "I guess we just need to land on the next planet we can and buy another one. Again. Leave it without a cap for too long and we'll have problems."</p>
<p>Regardless of what he had said, Zayne went nowhere. It was almost as though his mind had gone totally blank, as he simply continued to grope his boyfriend, his large hand cupping each buttock one at a time, then sliding his fingers up the middle as though he wanted nothing more than to sink inside. Which, considering, he usually did.</p>
<p>"Zee?"</p>
<p>"Mmm. Yeah, baby?"</p>
<p>"Want me to find a planet?"</p>
<p>"Oh. Oh! Yeah, sure. C'mon." Zayne scooped Rowan up into his arms, ignoring the swearing and insulting that followed, and carried him up to the cockpit to gently set him on his feet again. Seeming to have second thoughts almost immediately, he was the one to sit at the main computer chair instead, pulling Rowan onto his lap. "There we go. Find us a planet."</p>
<p>Rowan squirmed uncomfortably as he tried to settle in the awkward position to type on the keypad; this was fine with Zayne. Every little wiggle rubbed across the growing bulge in his pants, sending tingles of excitement straight through him, and it was <em>perfect</em>.</p>
<p>"Um. Sector Yrtesc has a class E planet. Good enough tech to be able to handle our ship and have spare parts besides. Be about half an hour. Want to head there?"</p>
<p>His sentences were clipped and awkward; by now, Zayne's cock was at full attention and jutting into the curve of the younger man's ass through their clothes. Zayne hummed, making little thrusting motions upward with his hips every now and then and making Rowan gasp.</p>
<p>"Sure, kitty-cat. Hey..." Voice lowered, he waited for Rowan to finish inputting the coordinates and setting them on their way before he captured his hands and leaned down to kiss his neck. "Half an hour. Think we could stay in this chair, and you could warm my cock for that long?"</p>
<p>The question went unanswered, as Zayne had lifted one hand away from Rowan's to cover his mouth instead, just enough to keep him from speaking. "I bet you could," he murmured sensuously into the blonde's ear. "That tight little hole has to stretch so wide to take me, and you love it. Imagine being split in two for that long, every little air pocket we hit jostling you so it moves inside, making you whine and drool. You'd beg for me to bend you over the console and thrust hard, but I wouldn't do it, and you'd sit still like a good boy and just keep my cock nice and warm."</p>
<p>Rowan seemed far from protesting, even if he could have spoken, which Zayne could tell from the soft little gasps against his fingers, the squirming, the eventual low moan. He loved to work Rowan into a frenzy, and there was so much more time to do it before they arrived.</p>
<p>"Then I'd wait until we get there, which should be pretty late in the evening according to that data you pulled up. We couldn't go out until the next day, but you'd be so hot and desperate that we'd leave all the lights on and fuck in front of the cockpit window, letting everyone outside see how hard I pump my cock into that needy hole. They'd hear you screaming my name right through the enviroshield," he chuckled lowly. It didn't matter that they would never really do this; it was the <em>fantasy</em> of it all that worked them up.</p>
<p>Rowan was putty in his hand at this point, soft and pliable, which he had expected. Except for his erection, of course. It was stiff when Zayne felt it through his pants, probably aching, and might even explode without much direct stimulation if he kept going.</p>
<p>"Filthy boy," Zayne whispered, finding the tip of Rowan's length and teasing his fingers over it through the concealing fabric. "Dirty, filthy boy. You <em>want</em> to warm my cock, you <em>want</em> others to watch me mount and fuck you on your hands and knees like a mindless animal. Dirty slut. Daddy should spank you good and hard for thinking about such things, teach you a lesson while your ass turns red and raw."</p>
<p>"Not that-" Rowan mumbled past his fingers, making Zayne sigh in disappointment and then laugh.</p>
<p>"Alright, alright. You won't use that word. But I'd still put you over my knee and spank those cute little ass cheeks 'til they're hotter than a star. Tell you what a bad, naughty boy you are, but between my hard palm and my hard cock, I'll make you good again."</p>
<p>Rowan was panting almost desperately now, trying to arch his hips up for more friction against Zayne's hand. The older man smirked and moved his fingers back, leaving Rowan just short of release, shuddering in disappointment instead.</p>
<p>"Later, baby," he murmured, biting Rowan's neck instead. "Later you'll get to finish, but for now, our time's already up."</p>
<p>-----</p>
<p>Anyone seeing Zayne and Rowan outside the Gamma Ray fifteen minutes later would not have been able to guess what been going on before they landed. They did, however, both look energetic and eager as they strolled around in search of a repair shop.</p>
<p>The planet they had landed on, Ertan VI, was quite green, while at the same time being rather industrial. There were buildings of every size in the major city, all with strange, alien shapes to them, but there were trees, plants, and flowers decorating all the spaces in between, and sometimes even the rooftops. Rowan had been looking around in wide-eyed interest, and Zayne chuckled as he slipped an arm around the younger man's waist. He was always eager about the native flora that a planet held, and it was frankly adorable to see every time.</p>
<p>"Can we go to a plant nursery? Please? There must be one somewhere. I want to see what types of plants they have here and if there's any that can live on a spaceship." Rowan was all but tugging Zayne along, and he had to relent as he always did. It was impossible to deny Rowan anything that made him so happy.</p>
<p>The natives of Ertan VI were friendly, at least. They seemed well accustomed to visitors and travelers, as they all carried a translation device along with them. It took very little effort to find a place where plants were kept, but to Rowan's disappointment, all of them needed a great deal of natural light and specific air quality. Still, he was enthusiastic just to be there, surrounded by his beloved plants, and even if they left empty-handed his mood had not dampened too much.</p>
<p>"I want one of those plant environment pods for the ship someday," he mused as they were out wandering the streets again. "They're damn expensive, though."</p>
<p>"Someday, kitty-cat," Zayne replied, putting an arm around his shoulders and squeezing reassuringly. "Whenever we decide to grow up and become serious adults, we can afford to buy more things." Rowan's reply was to snort in disbelief, but Zayne grinned anyway. "Now let's go look for a repair shop. I'm sure we'll find one just as easy."</p>
<p>Now Rowan seemed reluctant, shrugging. "I dunno. Another fuel cap is cheaper than paying someone to look at it. And we <em>could</em> start saving money now." He had dug in his heels a little, and Zayne needed to pull harder to keep them moving forward.</p>
<p>"No, c'mon," he said firmly, finally dropping his arm to grab Rowan's wrist instead. "I'm tired of buying fuel caps. In fact, I don't want to look at another fucking fuel cap for as long as I live. We'll get someone to sort it out."</p>
<p>Rowan sighed loudly but didn't protest again, his lips pressed into a frown. Zayne thought he was just deciding to act up, swatting his backside lightly as a warning as he pushed the younger man forward into the shop they eventually found, but didn't say anything else about it, either.</p>
<p>They had incredible luck in other ways that day, it seemed. The shop was run by a human and dealt with human tech almost exclusively. They were greeted by a tall female with a wealth of coppery hair spreading down her shoulders, her striking face taking in Zayne and Rowan through eyes that were obviously optical implants, considering their violet color flickered at set intervals. She was dressed in the greasiest coveralls Zayne was sure he had ever seen, which meant she must be good, in his opinion.</p>
<p>"What seems to be the problem, gentlemen?" Jeta drawled once they had been introduced. "We can work with <em>any</em> model Earth series."</p>
<p>"I think it's a problem with the fuel valve since the cap keeps coming loose and falling off. It naturally rolls around with the movement of the ship, meaning we can't find it under the rest of the equipment later," Zayne explained, frowning to himself. Of course, he hadn't considered that. There was nothing wrong with each brand new fuel cap they purchased.</p>
<p>"I see," Jeta frowned, running a hand through her hair. It bounced back into place immediately after, which Zayne envied. "Sounds serious. Your fuel valve is important, so if anything goes wrong there, you could be in danger. Honestly, considering... Let me take a look at it personally. I'd rather that than send any of the guys out. And I have the time today."</p>
<p>The offer was more than eagerly accepted by Zayne, who chatted with Jeta nonstop as they made their way back to the dock where the Gamma Ray had been left. Rowan was mostly keeping his sullen silence, and Zayne left an arm firmly around his shoulders, wondering if they needed to have a little talk after the ship was fixed. His boyfriend's current mood was not so unusual, but he'd been told before about taking an attitude around anyone they didn't know too well. It put a bit of a damper on Zayne's plan for kinky fun later, though they could honestly still do everything after it had been dealt with.</p>
<p>Jeta was impressed with the Gamma Ray; naturally, it was because Rowan cleaned before they arrived on the planet. She was taken immediately to the engine room, where she assessed the valve with surprising quickness.</p>
<p>"Hm. No, there's literally nothing wrong. It's not warped in any way, there's no damage, nothing is off... You just don't have a fuel cap." She produced one from within her coveralls, twisting it into place with ease and checking to see that it couldn't be pulled loose before she stepped back to look at Zayne and Rowan. "I don't know what to tell you. I'll give you my number if you're still in the sector and it happens again, because if I'm wrong, I'd really like to know and get it figured out."</p>
<p>Jeta's general abundance of knowledge, along with the fact that she refused payment for the cap this time, really did make her the best mechanic ever in Zayne's mind. She was escorted off the ship, though she talked with them a little longer. Zayne was left with quite a positive, happy feeling once he turned back to Rowan. "See, it was worth it-"</p>
<p>At some point, Rowan must have wandered off. Zayne frowned at the empty space by his side but carried on to the cockpit to get them out of dock and back on their original course. That finished, he pushed up from his chair and went to find his boyfriend with a determined expression.</p>
<p>"Where are you, little brat," he muttered, letting the automatic doors engage at random as he walked past. If Rowan was <em>hiding</em> too, he was definitely getting his butt spanked. Then he heard a sound at the far end of the corridor and cautiously approached the door to the aft lounge, the one they rarely used.</p>
<p>Rowan was inside with his back turned, making so much noise that he didn't hear the soft sound of the door opening. He seemed to be rummaging in one of the storage drawers, and Zayne managed to creep so near that it startled the younger man when he placed a hand on his shoulder. Rowan jerked back, and something small fell to the floor with a clatter before promptly beginning to roll. As it hit the side of a chair and stopped, Zayne could see what it was.</p>
<p>It was a fuel cap.</p>
<p>Zayne had seen plenty by now, and he knew. Slowly he turned back to Rowan, who seemed frozen in place as though his deepest, darkest secret was about to be uncovered. "What's this, Row?" Zayne asked, quiet and controlled. "Move aside, what do you have there?"</p>
<p>He had to push the shorter man to get him to move. Inside the storage drawer, there were another dozen fuel caps, at least, and this explained perfectly why they hadn't found at least one, while it also explained nothing at all.</p>
<p>"What the fuck? Rowan. What is this?" He turned to Rowan, grabbing his upper arm firmly so he couldn't escape.</p>
<p>"It's just... fuck... I just wanted us to stop more often! I didn't know how else to do it! You're so lazy that we just kept flying and I really wanted to check out some of the plants on these planets we keep going by! It's your fault!"</p>
<p>Zayne looked at him in disbelief, giving his arm a sharp tug. "You little fucking brat. How about you try asking me? I would have stopped for you! There was no reason to put me through the grief of needing to constantly supply us with fuel caps and worry about what was going wrong! I <em>thought</em> there was nothing wrong! And it is partially my lazy ass's fault for not confirming that sooner, but still. You know you shouldn't have done it. You're getting a spanking for this, baby, and not the <em>fun kind</em>."</p>
<p>Rowan recoiled, but Zayne thankfully had him in a tight enough grip. He marched his boyfriend over to one of the lounge couches, undoing his jeans and yanking them down before sitting and dragging Rowan over his lap. "I don't want-"</p>
<p>"Doesn't matter what you want at this point," Zayne cut in, smacking his ass through his white briefs so hard that Rowan grunted right away. "What you need and deserve, as the biggest brat in the universe, is to be spanked so hard you can't sit for <em>two</em> weeks, let alone one. And I was supposed to be treating you today."</p>
<p>Rowan had no witty response for this, and Zayne lifted his hand again. It cracked down across Rowan's ass ten more times, and Zayne was admiring the crisp sound and the sight of a pink glow already showing through the thin fabric, in spite of himself. It seemed nothing was going to make him forget how incredibly horny he had been earlier.</p>
<p>That was when Rowan decided not to accept his punishment the way he was expected to. He began to squirm, making every effort to slide himself forward on his boyfriend's lap in order to wriggle his way onto the floor. Why he thought that would be a good idea was unclear, but Zayne wasn't having it for long.</p>
<p>"Oh no you don't, brat," he hissed, continuing to spank him a little longer first. Then he easily lifted Rowan up and back into proper position, this time grabbing the edges of his underwear and sharply pulling <em>up</em>, exposing his ass further while he held the fabric in his fist as though it was a handle. "You're just making it worse."</p>
<p>Zayne's hand was falling on Rowan's bare cheeks now, and squirming was uncomfortably out of the question. He was held up and in one place by his own underwear, and while he continued to kick his legs at intervals, there was really nothing else he could do. Satisfied, Zayne laid down a long series of hard slaps that felt surprisingly good for <em>him</em>, if not for Rowan.</p>
<p>"No- I'm sorry-"</p>
<p>It was the sign of a breaking point, at least. Zayne's hand came to a stop, but then he was lifting Rowan to his feet and pulling his underwear down before getting up and walking him to the back of the couch.</p>
<p>"Bend over. Feet off the floor. If I come back and you've moved an inch, you will be more than just sorry, Rowan." He watched as the younger man slowly obeyed, bending over the plush fabric so far that his feet couldn't touch the floor, which arched his ass up into such a beautiful target. Zayne was not immune to this, running his hand over the dark pink, warm flesh for a moment. Maybe he'd fuck Rowan over the couch like this afterward, too, because stars knew he needed some extra compensation.</p>
<p>Rowan wasn't left waiting long and was thankfully in the same place when Zayne came back. "No hands to cover yourself, baby. I feel like you might try," he murmured. A soft jingling noise was heard as he secured handcuffs around Rowan's wrists, then stepped back behind the couch once more.</p>
<p>The light tap of leather against skin was the next sound. Rowan would be able to feel the small fold of the crop against him and know what it was. And he did, because he immediately started whining.</p>
<p>"Please, Zee, I'll be good, I'll pay you back for the fuel caps and never mess with the ship again-"</p>
<p>Zayne sighed, shaking his head even though the younger man couldn't see. "No, Rowan. You're getting this, even though I'm sure you mean it. You're learning a lesson today, and I would be a horrible dom to you if I stopped now."</p>
<p>He waited long moments, but there was no safe word, nothing else from Rowan except soft whimpers. Determined, Zayne drew back the crop and whipped it over the vulnerable curve of flesh, satisfied by the sharp <em>slap</em> of leather and the resulting gasp.</p>
<p>Rowan had never really enjoyed the crop, which had always made it an effective tool if the punishment was more serious than usual. The sting was focused and lingered quite some time. He shifted the crop up further into his grip, landing some blows with the middle length of it, which almost had the effect of a cane. They didn't own a cane as it didn't appeal to either of them, but Rowan had been so frustrating that Zayne might have almost wished they did.</p>
<p>Rowan kicked his legs, his protests increasing, but Zayne wasn't done. He gripped the handle of the crop again and brought down the fold of leather multiple times, marking Rowan's ass at random but covering most of it with red marks that would likely raise into little welts later. The rhythm of it was almost like a familiar ritual: The soft whistle as the crop cut through the air, the loud slap of leather, and Rowan's resulting cry.</p>
<p>Once Zayne thought it was enough, he threw the crop up onto the seat of the couch and began rubbing Rowan's backside instead, tender, soothing strokes against the hot flesh. "There. It's all going to be alright. But we're not finished, not until I finish. I'm going to fuck you, Row, unless you say otherwise."</p>
<p>He could just see Rowan's blonde head shaking, and he subtly shifted his legs farther apart. Zayne smiled softly as he reached into his pocket for the lube he'd also collected earlier, spreading some onto his fingers and parting his boyfriend's red cheeks to begin working it into his hole.</p>
<p>"You're a good boy again, but this is still a naughty ass," he mumbled, his other hand opening his trousers to pull out his rapidly stiffening cock, tugging at it while he worked a lube-covered finger into Rowan. "I'm not sure you deserve to finish. But I deserve it, and I'm still going to rail you good and hard, baby."</p>
<p>Zayne took his time, working in a second finger and curving them both gently, bringing Rowan to gasp in a different way. It didn't matter; he was going to get aroused no matter what. By the time he was prepared enough, Rowan was wiggling his ass in a way that was asking for it, and Zayne grabbed him by the hips and tugged him down into the perfect position for his cock to slide inside.</p>
<p>He went slowly with this, too. It was frustratingly slow for both of them, but there was nothing better than the gradual motion, and at last, being buried deep in Rowan's tight hole. Zayne took a moment to appreciate the extra heat of the spanked backside against his hips before finally beginning to grind.</p>
<p>"You're so amazing, Row," he breathed, drawing back farther and pushing in again. "Bad boy or not. Actually, I think I like you being a bad boy. It means I can turn this sexy ass red even more often."</p>
<p>Rowan huffed, then moaned, wiggling again. "Faster, Zee, just fuck me."</p>
<p>Zayne laughed. "Awfully demanding for a little brat who's not getting to orgasm." Regardless, he did begin moving faster, his natural lust increasing as it became easier to rock his hips. It wasn't long before he was slamming into Rowan, hungry thrusts that went deep as he bounced off that amazing ass every time. The motion was driving the younger man against the couch, and it actually slid forward once or twice with the force of his movements.</p>
<p>He made himself last, somehow. It was so tempting to pump his boyfriend full as soon as the tingling sensation began to build, but he was enjoying the sounds Rowan made so much that he held back. Which was his own mistake, as he distinctly knew when Rowan came beneath him based on the little whimpered cries and the clenching around his cock. He must have been gaining friction from the back of the couch or was just too sensitive after everything.</p>
<p>"Rowan, I swear-" He couldn't conclude the threat, too busy with thrusting his own orgasm up into that increased tightness. His hips bucked erratically as he leaned down close to Rowan's back, pleasure shooting up from his cock to what felt like his entire body, spreading out in waves that made him cry out in harsh ecstasy.</p>
<p>He could have sworn everything went dark for a few seconds, but next thing he knew, he was gently easing his length out of Rowan and rummaging in his pockets again for a cloth and some cooling salve, the rest of what he had needed to bring from the bedroom. He cleaned Rowan up tenderly, then spread the salve over his sore buttocks, noting how limp the younger man appeared now, still draped over the couch. His own legs were close to shaking from how good he still felt, but he had to take care of Rowan first.</p>
<p>At last he was done, lifting Rowan and unlocking the handcuffs, moving him to the front of the couch so they could sit down together. He tucked Rowan against him so there was no pressure on his backside and kissed his temple wearily. "We have quite a mess to clean up back there now. But I think you're gonna do it because I <em>said</em> you weren't to finish, Rowan. Honestly."</p>
<p>"Can't help it, Zee," he mumbled back, nuzzling against the larger man's chest. "Felt so good. I'm sorry I took the fuel caps. I just... I don't know. It was wrong, and I wasn't thinking about it. I didn't mean to stress you out, but I couldn't think of how else to do it."</p>
<p>"Then you didn't think very long," Zayne huffed before gently brushing blonde locks of hair out of Rowan's eyes. "But it's over now, and you know for next time, and we have fuel caps to last a fucking millennia. No harm in stocking up, huh?"</p>
<p>He could feel Rowan smile against him, making him cuddle closer. "Alright. How about we take a nap, get that red little butt healed up some before we're ready for round two? I was gonna do this properly today. Then we can pick out the next planet you might want to stop at. Sound good?"</p>
<p>"Yeah." Rowan's mumble was very faint, and it was obvious he was already falling asleep. With a rush of entirely too sappy emotion, Zayne kissed him again and rested his head on top of Rowan's, letting himself drift away as well.</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Zayne and Rowan go on a trip to the gym, and Rowan learns an important relationship lesson in the only way he can really be taught.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I keep asking these boys if they'd like a plot, but they just look at me funny like they don't understand what that is. :p Maybe someday, but who knows. For now I feel like this is just a series of one-shots, and also that it's kind of what I do when I just want to write about spankings without thinking too much about a plot.</p>
<p>If you're interested in 'visuals' for the characters, aesthetics, etc., <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/bardbrat/s-p-a-c-e-r-s/">you can check out the Spacers boards I made here</a>. :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Let's go somewhere."</p>
<p>Rowan's eyes were unusually bright and eager as he peered at Zayne over the edge of the bed. When it finally registered that he was on the <em>floor</em>, Zayne propped himself up on one elbow and looked down at him with a bewildered smile.</p>
<p>"Uh, excuse me, kitty-cat, but what are you even doing down there?" He reached to ruffle Rowan's blonde hair, but the younger man escaped the motion effortlessly.</p>
<p>"I'm bored. Let's go somewhere. We can do something!" Rowan's failure to elaborate on either of these points only made Zayne want to continue teasing him.</p>
<p>"Dunno. I was watching a movie before you interrupted me." He waved the small entertainment pad he had been holding. "Kind of want to finish it. Today's just a lazy day, we actually finished another job and all that, time to rest again. Thought you understood. The usual, right?"</p>
<p>Rowan shook his head, the look in his eyes not changing at all. "No, I'm bored. We should do something else."</p>
<p>"Your plants? I thought you were looking after them." The longer Zayne tried to put it off, the more desperate Rowan seemed to be. He would have almost suspected something was up, but for some reason, he didn't.</p>
<p>"I finished. Come on. Please? You can take me out on one of the bikes. You know how fucking cool you look with a hot little twink clinging on behind you. You like that, right?"</p>
<p>Staring for another moment, Zayne abruptly rolled back onto the bed and laughed loudly. "You know, I do like that. You've got me intrigued now, Row, I'll admit. Go on." He wiped one of his eyes, moving to face his boyfriend again. Rowan did say some of the most entertaining shit sometimes.</p>
<p>"We can... We can go to the gym," he finally said, decisive. "It'd be hot to watch you work out. Maybe I could even do some exercises there too."</p>
<p>Now Zayne squinted at him, truly a little concerned. "You don't like the gym, baby. The last time you went, you just complained through all of it. Why do you want to go now?"</p>
<p>Rowan's expression finally fell, and it made Zayne want to immediately change his words. It was good to see the younger man enthusiastic. "But I do want to watch. I just want to spend time together, especially since we're home for a while, and I want to have some fun with it. Just a bike ride to the gym, so I can watch you flex for a while. You don't want to do that with me?"</p>
<p>The pout Rowan wore was adorable, so much so that any of Zayne's doubts evaporated. He couldn't resist that, and it did sound like fun. "Alright, alright. Just let me get my gym bag sorted out and we'll go. I can't say no to such a sweet kitty-cat." This time, Rowan didn't back away when his hair got ruffled, practically purring instead like he really was a contented cat. Zayne eagerly bounded up out of bed and worked his way around the room to get ready, his excitement beginning to build over the situation. It was unusual but held a lot of potential, and he was more than ready for that.</p>
<p>-----</p>
<p>"Helmet, baby. And you hold on tight to me, you got that?"</p>
<p>"Duh," Rowan snorted, plopping the helmet on his head and fastening the chin strap. "No, I'm going to throw my arms in the air and scream like they did on those ancient Earth things. Roller somethings."</p>
<p>"No, you're not. Enough sass." Zayne swatted his backside, though for now it remained playful. He was too excited, and besides, it was typical for Rowan to be sarcastic.</p>
<p>The younger man couldn't slip out of the way fast enough to avoid it, so he pouted at Zayne through his face shield. "I <em>know</em> how to ride on the bike, Zee. It's fine." His voice echoed slightly throughout the dimly lit public garage, much less crowded with vehicles since it was past midday. Fortunately for him, he hadn't dared to try taking one of them out alone since the last time he'd gotten caught and spanked for it.</p>
<p>"Even still, it's dangerous, and I need to protect my kitty." Zayne had been meticulously checking over the blue bike for any problems since they'd last been there, and finding it to his satisfaction, he inserted the key stick and brought the machine humming to life. Hoverbikes were quiet, but there was still such a soft and perfect thrum to the engine that always made his heartbeat speed up. There were noisier vehicles to be had, and he loved those too, but the hoverbikes were always his special favorite.</p>
<p>He secured the gym bag to the back before throwing one leg over and sitting down, already knowing he looked cool as fuck. To maintain that, he wasn't wearing any gym clothes yet beyond his black tank top, showing off his muscled, tattooed arms to best effect. He was also wearing his heavily ripped jeans, leather boots, and sleekly stylish black sunglasses. Having Rowan behind him, the cutest petite accessory, only made him twice as cool.</p>
<p>"Climb on, babe. Maybe a new rule should be you hang onto me and scream 'faster, Daddy' at every traffic junction," he said with a sly smile, giving Rowan a look over the top of his glasses.</p>
<p>"Like hell," the younger man scoffed, easily climbing behind and settling in. The warm feeling of his slender arms wrapping around Zayne's waist always gave him a fluttery feeling. "I'll call you a bastard instead, how about that?"</p>
<p>"Well, that's very you," Zayne laughed, but dropped the subject as he engaged the pedals and the bike began to lift slightly from the ground. He maneuvered it out of the garage carefully, beaming as they made their way onto the street and began to pick up speed. It might have been <em>cooler</em> to be displaying some stoic and badass expression, but it seemed he forgot about how he wanted to look when actually riding.</p>
<p>He directed the bike effortlessly through Epsilon's streets, admittedly taking the long way to the gym he usually frequented. It was just too good to feel the air rushing past, with Rowan a comforting presence pressed up against his back. A lot of other people <em>did</em> direct stares at them, and Zayne always assumed they were jealous or possibly just amazed at their awesomeness. Smirking at his own silly pride, he finally pulled in at the gym's lot, letting Rowan climb off before following him.</p>
<p>"I'm thinking a private room," Zayne mused, taking his boyfriend's helmet, securing them both in their space on the bike, and then grabbing the bag. "We did just get paid. And that way you don't have anyone competing with you while you're ogling my muscles. Sound good with you?"</p>
<p>Rowan rolled his eyes so hard that Zayne could practically hear it. "Yeah, it does. I'm sure you have lots of guys trying to get in with you, looking all hot and fucking sweaty at the gym." He pulled away a little, but Zayne grabbed him firmly and tugged him to his side, walking him to the building with one arm around him.</p>
<p>"Maybe they do look at me, but I don't pay any mind. Don't be jealous, Row, you know I'm all yours." The shift in attitude from Rowan's earlier eagerness was giving him a slight amount of pause, but maybe he was acting a little too prideful and bringing it on. He resolved to calm down, at least as much as he could.</p>
<p>They entered the gym and Zayne paid for the private room at the desk, taking Rowan through once all the details were sorted. Private rooms were smaller than the larger public ones, but still held quite the myriad of equipment, nearly two of each, along with a shower that you didn't have to share with anyone else. Thankfully Rowan had dropped his sulking once they entered, as he walked around the room and inspected the machines with interest.</p>
<p>"I still don't know why you're into this weird shit," he commented, his tone light again. He had paused in front of a weight lifting machine with a multitude of bars hung at different heights. "Then again, some of it almost looks kinky."</p>
<p>"It's not weird shit, Row," Zayne laughed. He was slipping out of his jeans and into gym shorts, as well as exchanging his boots for some lighter shoes. "Plenty of people still into fitness, always has been. Well... Sort of, anyway. When it became necessary, or whatever." Zayne didn't know a lot about history, but because places like this were still popular even this far from Earth, he was reasonably certain it wasn't just a fad that would die out soon.</p>
<p>Rowan wasn't quite dressed as he normally was, but was already wearing lighter clothes in case he wanted to join in. Zayne had his doubts about this, of course. "Wanna warm up with me, even if you don't do anything else? I like to use the treadmills."</p>
<p>"I guess," Rowan replied with hesitation, looking at the devices Zayne pointed out. "But they're weird." Zayne recalled then that he had barely paid attention to their last gym visit and probably didn't even remember any of it. He tugged his boyfriend over and instructed him on the controls, stepping onto his own treadmill and starting it at a low setting.</p>
<p>Rowan was frowning over his own, but started it up fine, and even managed to walk several minutes without comment, though he seemed to not be enjoying himself in particular. Zayne sped his own machine up, feeling the muscles in his legs start to warm pleasantly, and turned to Rowan to check on him again.</p>
<p>"See, it's fine, isn't it? Kind of basic, but it's something," he offered encouragingly.</p>
<p>"It's lame. It makes you feel like you're walking somewhere but you're not. Kind of stupid, really."</p>
<p>The offhanded remark had stung a little, making Zayne frown though he wasn't sure why. "Hey, I don't call your plants lame and stupid. To each their own, right?"</p>
<p>"Because they're not," Rowan grumbled. He switched off his treadmill and waited for the belt to stop moving, seating himself on top of it instead and looking at Zayne. "Boring. At least I can watch you."</p>
<p>Zayne looked at him from the corner of his eye but kept his attention on walking. This was already shaping up to be exactly like the last time he had brought Rowan to the gym, although they had been around other people that time and Rowan had kept quieter and not voiced his opinions so loudly. If he had wanted to come here and was unwilling to try from the start, what had been the actual point in asking for it?</p>
<p>Putting it out of his mind for now, Zayne continued his walk until he felt pleasantly flushed and warm, his eager muscles ready to take on something bigger. Even if Rowan wasn't going to enjoy this, he was glad he had been prompted to come anyway. Moving away from the treadmill, he decided on a rowing machine, putting it on a fairly high setting right from the start, not that his boyfriend seemed impressed by this.</p>
<p>"That looks boring too," he commented, having perched himself on a nearby weight bench. "And you don't even look that cool doing it. Rowing a fake boat," he snorted with a mocking smirk.</p>
<p>Zayne's expression hardened, though he kept pulling at the bars rhythmically. "Stop it, Rowan. If you came here just to drag me down, I'm not having it. Besides, that's a really fucking mean thing to do, and if you keep it up, you're getting your ass beat at home."</p>
<p>Rowan's expression was difficult to read, but he shrugged and stood up, walking away to inspect some of the more 'archaic' equipment near the back of the room. There were various exercise balls, small dumbbells, even some old plastic jump ropes that Rowan probably had not ever seen before and would be baffled by. Sure enough, he came wandering back by the time Zayne was done with his machine, pointing toward the area with confusion. "What is all that?"</p>
<p>"Just some older, sort of outdated shit. But they keep it around for anyone who's a fan of that kind of thing. Believe it or not, they still exist. You actually use the rope thingy to jump with. Can you imagine?" Unfortunately, Rowan's interest didn't hold into actually experimenting with any of it, and he didn't even offer a reply before walking off again. Zayne frowned heavily after him, wondering exactly what was going on. It was getting a little strange, even for him.</p>
<p>Once satisfied with his efforts at rowing (though his boyfriend did have a point, the action in itself was kind of silly), Zayne got up and walked toward the weight bench Rowan had previously abandoned. It was another old fashioned piece of equipment, but he liked using it since he had to make more of an effort to sort out the actual weights he wanted to use and how involved it made him feel.</p>
<p>"Lift those." When Zayne looked up, he saw Rowan had returned and was pointing at the heaviest weights possible, of course.</p>
<p>"Nope," he replied cheerfully, attaching much smaller weights to the bar.</p>
<p>Rowan pouted, clearly unimpressed. "Why? That's stupid. I thought you were strong!"</p>
<p>"Oh, I am. I'm also not dumb, though, despite what you imply sometimes. If I lift those right away, I'm really gonna hurt myself. I need to get warmed up. You can't start big. Just trust me, Row." Zayne was getting into position, ready to hoist the barbell up the set amount of times he knew would be just enough. He could feel Rowan's eyes on him and knew the skeptical look on his boyfriend's face without checking. Maybe it was better to just ignore him for now.</p>
<p>It turned out Rowan was going to insist on <em>not</em> being ignored. "You're really not impressive. What, you're doing those next? Lame. I thought you were so strong and amazing. You're actually boring. Maybe I don't want to be here with you after all."</p>
<p>The words were grating on Zayne, rolling around in his head until he finally let out a frustrated huff of anger. He lowered the barbell down toward his knees and dropped it with a loud <em>thud</em>, turning on his heel and immediately going after Rowan. The look on the blonde's face was one of startled surprise, and maybe something else.</p>
<p>"Listen here, brat," Zayne hissed. He reached out and grabbed Rowan's jaw before he could get away, squeezing it firmly as he pulled him closer. "I don't know what your game is, but I do know it's getting on my nerves. You're whining and complaining and <em>insulting</em> me so much that I'm beginning to think you need an attitude adjustment. This isn't fair to me in the slightest, when you wanted so badly to go out and watch me show off my muscles for you. Remember that?"</p>
<p>Despite his face being squished in Zayne's grasp, Rowan was doing his best to glare and act as though it wasn't affecting him at all. "Don't care. I just didn't know how boring this would be. I thought you were better than this."</p>
<p>Zayne stared at him, getting even more annoyed. "Yeah? That's the reason you're acting this way?"</p>
<p>Rowan shrugged, averting his eyes, and it was then that Zayne could tell there was some other reason. "Fine. You can be that way, and let's see how long it is before you tell me the truth."</p>
<p>It seemed Rowan was startled again when Zayne let go of his jaw and grabbed his arm instead, hauling him over to the weight bench. He sat down, tossing his boyfriend easily over his lap, and didn't even wait a moment before his hand started coming down hard on the seat of Rowan's shorts.</p>
<p>"No- Z... Zee, you can't here-"</p>
<p>"Soundproof room, Row," Zayne replied, almost sounding triumphant. "I can spank my naughty little brat to my heart's content, and no one's going to hear."</p>
<p>Rowan, who had been holding himself back before, began to loudly express his displeasure instead. Zayne paid this no mind, focusing on the rise and fall of his hand as it connected with his boyfriend's ass. The blows were especially punishing, as he needed to <em>feel</em> them through the fabric. The sound didn't have the same appeal of slaps against bare flesh, but if Rowan wasn't going to talk, he'd be hearing it soon.</p>
<p>It must have been about twenty strikes, at least, before Rowan was squirming so much that Zayne picked him up and stood, immediately wrapping his large fingers around the younger man's jaw a second time. "Well? Anything to say yet?"</p>
<p>"Fuck you," Rowan mumbled, which was not a response to the question at all.</p>
<p>"Don't say I didn't give you a chance," Zayne sighed. "Bend over the bench."</p>
<p>"No."</p>
<p>"Rowan. You do as you're told, right now, or you'll get spanked again at home. I don't care how raw you'll be after this. Bend. Over."</p>
<p>It seemed as though Rowan had changed his mind, but then he scowled as he turned and flopped over the weight bench almost dramatically. Zayne stared at him, then walked over and yanked both his shorts and underwear down in one rapid motion. Rowan's ass was already a bright pink, and he took a moment to trace his fingers over the warmth of the skin admiringly before he stepped back and began to rummage in his gym bag.</p>
<p>"You regret this now, don't you?" Zayne held up a small leather paddle with a savage smile. The sting of this one was quite focused and always made Rowan yell.</p>
<p>"What?" Rowan had craned his head around to look and seemed appropriately horrified. "Why is that here?!"</p>
<p>"You'll be surprised to learn that I always have an implement when we go out," Zayne laughed. "I'm dating a very bad boy, in case you don't remember." He walked over to Rowan and bent slightly, placing his left hand against the younger man's lower back and resting the paddle against his ass. "Change your mind?"</p>
<p>Zayne gave him approximately ten seconds, and when there was no response, he shrugged and lifted the paddle, swinging it back down hard with a satisfying slap. Rowan hissed softly but seemed determined not to react the way he usually did. Oh, but that would change soon if he didn't tell Zayne what he wanted to know.</p>
<p>Sure enough, it took about five before Rowan cried out, sounding somewhat desperate, which made it plain it had been hurting him to even hold back. His ass was pink and covered with deeper pink blotches that the paddle was leaving behind, and Zayne found himself pausing to admire it again. Rowan needed this right now, but it didn't stop Zayne from thinking perverted thoughts about what they might do later.</p>
<p>"Tough guy, huh?" he commented almost idly, slapping the paddle down harder against the lower curve of Rowan's backside. "If you want bruises, you only had to ask. Just wait until I get to your thighs, you're really going to love it then."</p>
<p>Rowan whimpered almost frantically as the paddle made its way lower and lower, each blow sharp and ringing as it painted the pink skin a deeper hue. It was just over the count of ten that he finally seemed to realize Zayne would really not stop unless he said something.</p>
<p>But it wasn't his safe word, thankfully. "Zee, stop--ahh, fuck--Okay, you can stop now, I'll talk!"</p>
<p>"This thing always works its magic," Zayne replied with a grin, though he did lower the paddle to rub the leather surface soothingly over Rowan's sore skin instead. "Alright, kitty-cat. What's going on?"</p>
<p>"I just..." Rowan took a long moment to order his thoughts, but Zayne kept perfect patience with him. "I wanted attention, basically. I actually didn't want to spend a normal day after getting paid. But I was afraid you wouldn't be interested. You seemed really happy to just lay there and watch your movie."</p>
<p>Zayne sighed heavily. "Row, you never talk to me about this shit until it builds up so much that you lash out. You can see that now, right? So why did you act like a dick toward me even after you got what you wanted?"</p>
<p>He had to lean closer to hear Rowan's mumbled reply. "I didn't actually want this. I wanted <em>attention</em>. I just didn't think you'd want to... give it to me unless we were out doing something you liked. And then I got frustrated over the situation, so..."</p>
<p>Zayne listened quietly but shook his head as he gave Rowan's ass a few firm taps with the paddle. "Talk to me. Tell me what you want. <em>Always</em>. You got that?"</p>
<p>"Yes," Rowan groaned, shifting as if to move out of the way. "Aren't we done?"</p>
<p>"Got a little more to take care of," Zayne replied. He glanced around before moving to drop the paddle back into his gym bag, then walked over to pick up one of the plastic jump ropes from the pile of older equipment. He made sure to keep it folded in half, and shortened it to an appropriate length in his hand. The plastic was smooth and all in one piece, but he knew it would produce a fierce sting.</p>
<p>He dangled the rope in front of Rowan's face, letting him see it, before taking up the position he had before. "Listen, baby. I need to drive this point home for you. But if you think you can't take it, let me know, and we'll stop right now."</p>
<p>Rowan was hesitating, but in the end, he shook his head. "No. I'm sorry, Zee. I can handle it."</p>
<p>"Good boy. Just three, since you're being good now," Zayne murmured softly. With great concentration, making completely certain he would aim for what he wanted, he whipped the jump rope down across the lower half of Rowan's ass. The loud <em>snap</em> it made even caused Zayne to wince in sympathy.</p>
<p>To Rowan's credit, he kept himself mostly quiet beyond some short, gasped breaths. Zayne could already see the welt rising across his tender flesh, and then he brought the rope down again, just below that mark. "You're doing so good, baby. You're amazing. Hold on, just one more."</p>
<p>The final time he snapped the rope just above Rowan's thighs, then immediately dropped it and leaned forward to caress him gently. The skin wasn't broken, he was glad to see, as neither of them had ever expressed a desire to go that far. But it would definitely hurt for quite some time after this.</p>
<p>Continuing to softly praise his boyfriend, Zayne brought out a tube of salve from his bag, as he had brought that too, naturally. He smeared some on his fingers and began rubbing it on the marked skin, taking his time to be soothing and extra careful.</p>
<p>"Damn. These welts are something. They're hot, though. Hotter than my muscles," he commented, continuing to sweep his fingers over the curve of Rowan's punished backside.</p>
<p>"No way," Rowan grumbled, though he seemed to be recovering well from his initial pain. "You had to work for those."</p>
<p>"And you didn't work for these?" Zayne laughed in response. "I dunno, something really fucking sexy about a guy who can take pain so well. I wouldn't have thought so before I met you, but it turns me on."</p>
<p>Rowan had been laying limply over the bench, but now he was finally trying to push himself up. Once he had managed to stand, he turned and threw his arms around Zayne's middle. He didn't speak, but the emotion was plain in his gesture. The older man grinned, ruffling his hair again before returning the hug tightly. "Good boy. We'll go home and surround ourselves with your plants and have lots of cuddles, yeah? But, uh... Maybe you're down for a quick fuck in the shower first...?"</p>
<p>Rowan leaned back and seemed to glare at him for a moment, but it abruptly changed into a smirk. "Yeah, sure. I mean, why am I not surprised? Zee-"</p>
<p>The last word had been in response to Zayne suddenly sweeping him off his feet. He cradled the smaller man close, whispering into his ear. "Because you're too damn arousing, that's why. Your ass is so incredible, and I can't get enough of seeing you take a hard spanking, even if you were naughty before. I bet when we came in here, everyone was watching us, and they knew what we wanted a private gym room for. They knew I'd push you against the shower wall and lift your legs up around my waist, that'd I'd thrust my big cock into you hard until you were screaming in ecstasy. That's the real workout, I think, fucking you so hard and fast that the shower won't even cancel out how filthy we are."</p>
<p>As usual, the dirty talk was getting to Rowan. With another stop at his gym bag on the way for lube (because why wouldn't he have brought that too?), Zayne had to quickly stride to the shower to get this started as soon as possible, in exactly the way he'd described. But for a moment, he paused, love tugging at his heart when he looked down and could see his boyfriend genuinely smiling again, knowing how happy he truly was.</p>
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